Contribution of sleep-related biomarkers to the pathophysiology of ME/CFS (SLEEP-NEURO-PATH)

Description

ME/CFS is a severe neuroimmunological disease that often leads to a high degree of physical and mental disability. Its cause and development are still largely unknown. Therefore, the options for clinical treatment of patients are limited. There are large gaps in knowledge because hardly any tissue samples from those affected are available and comparisons with defined control groups are difficult to achieve. The SLEEP-NEURO-PATH research network aims to characterise biological mechanisms associated with brain dysfunction in ME/CFS, such as cognitive disorders, fatigue, headaches, sleep disorders and hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. Dysfunctions of neuronal networks (detected using selected sleep characteristics) are associated with multimodal imaging and biochemical examinations of the function of the vascular bed and supplemented by the determination of polygenic genetic risk profiles. This work is intended to make an important contribution to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ME/CFS and to help characterise biological mechanisms at the system level. In addition, predictors for ME/CFS at the individual level are to be derived, which offer approaches for future personalised therapy. (Description adapted from research network website: see link above)