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Interview with neuroscientist Michael VanElzakker: Vagus Nerve, ME/CFS, latent infection and more

Discussion in 'ME/CFS research news' started by Cheshire, Dec 7, 2017.

  1. Cheshire

    Cheshire Moderator Staff Member

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    4,675
    by Amy Proal

    http://microbeminded.com/2017/12/07...-vagus-nerve-mecfs-latent-infection-and-more/
     
  2. duncan

    duncan Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    1,572
    Good for him. Seems like a ballsy guy, especially in light of his affiliation with Mass General and Harvard Medical (merely mentioning Bb in a sentence that might be interpreted as suggesting Lyme can be an ongoing infectious Vagus Nerve agent is a thing of beauty - many would suggest those facilities' history with Lyme is arguably worse than they have been with ME/CFS).
     
    Justy and Luther Blissett like this.
  3. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    3,768
    Location:
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    Edit: Here's the donation link: https://because.massgeneral.org/cam...onic-fatigue-syndrome-research-at-mgh/c153689
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2017
  4. voner

    voner Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    @Cheshire, thanks for posting that interview. seems like for a really low cost, some interesting research could be initiated.

    I was struck by his discussion with Dr. Linda Watkins of the University of Colorado. she is a very highly respected and publishes frequently on microglia and it’s interactions in neuroimmune system. i’m going to look into donating.
     
    AliceLily, Dolphin, Moosie and 2 others like this.
  5. Dolphin

    Dolphin Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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  6. Lidia

    Lidia Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Thanks for posting. What a great interview!
     
  7. Justy

    Justy Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    What a great guy!
     
    sea, AndyPandy, Esther12 and 7 others like this.
  8. Justy

    Justy Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Halfway through...this just gets better and better. I want to keep throwing up quotes here, but instead, just go and read it!
     
  9. Moosie

    Moosie Established Member (Voting Rights)

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    Only read the first section. What a hero. Crying my eyes out. Needed to hear something positive today. Haven't even reached the research yet - might need a bit more brain for that. I've been following him on Twitter and I knew he got it but I didn't realise how much! For all the shite we have to contend with we do have stuff to feel hopeful about.
     
    Justy, sea, Esther12 and 4 others like this.
  10. Corazon

    Corazon Established Member

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    Justy, Moosie, cyclamen and 2 others like this.
  11. AliceLily

    AliceLily Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I haven't finished reading this but needed a break because I feel emotional reading this. He said some things I needed to hear about the microbiome and how changes in microbiome could alert the brain and cause sickness.
     
    Justy, Moosie, Lidia and 1 other person like this.
  12. Inara

    Inara Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I may be the exception here, but I am not so fascinated or happy by what he's saying although I am thankful for his work and enthusiasm. It's just a feeling.

    E.g. he says somatoform illnesses are real - where's the proof for that? If it's real, i.e. part of our reality, there should be a scientific proof.

    He also gives psychology lectures, even if they might contain critical content (which is good!). And his other focus are post-traumatic disorders where he's also doing brain scan research.

    What tells me he differentiates clearly and cleanly between his psycho work and science and doesn't mix things with each other, or that he doesn't view results with "psycho glasses"?

    I may be over-critical and too distrustful.
     
    duncan likes this.
  13. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

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    I am pleased that a young researcher is keen to help ME patients by doing research, and by communicating with patients on twitter.

    I have no idea whether there is any mileage in his theory about vagus nerve infection, and the scans seem very expensive. I hope he finds something fairy definitive one way or the other in his first few scans so he doesn't waste time and money if it turns out to be wrong.
     
    sea, Wonko, Valentijn and 2 others like this.
  14. Valentijn

    Valentijn Guest

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    Location:
    Netherlands
    His focus on how a vagus nerve infection could cause sickness response seems to sort of skip over ME/CFS symptoms which can't be explained by a sickness response. Why do we have PEM or twitching muscles? Why don't we have a fever?

    It's better than most "central" hypothesis (involving the Central Nervous System), but doesn't seem to answer some of the more difficult questions.
     
    sea, Zombie Lurker, Inara and 3 others like this.
  15. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

    Messages:
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    Location:
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    I agree, and I don't see how it can explain the 2 day CPET response, which shows clearly that we are unable to use our muscles efficiently on the second day. And the cellular research that shows lower aerobic activity in blood cells.
     
    sea, Inara, Wonko and 2 others like this.

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