Thesis Metabolic dysregulation in ME/CFS: The role of hypometabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in Post-Exertional Malaise, 2025, Marin

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Metabolic Dysregulation in ME/CFS: The Role of Hypometabolism and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Post-Exertional Malaise - Student Theses Faculty of Science and Engineering

fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl

PDF: https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/35577/1/bBIO2025AnastasiaMarin.pdf
Metabolic Dysregulation in ME/CFS: The Role of Hypometabolism and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Post-Exertional Malaise

Anastasia, Marin (2025) Metabolic Dysregulation in ME/CFS: The Role of Hypometabolism and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Post-Exertional Malaise. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.

Abstract​

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating illness marked by profound fatigue and post-exertional malaise (PEM), characterised by a worsening of symptoms following minimal exertion.
Emerging studies suggest that metabolic dysfunctions, specifically hypometabolism and mitochondrial impairments, play a central role in the disease’s pathophysiology.
This thesis explores how disruptions in energy metabolism contribute to PEM through analysing the findings from metabolomic, physiological, and cellular studies.
ME/CFS patients show reduced oxidative phosphorylation, impaired fatty acid and amino acid metabolism, along with signs of mitochondrial inefficiency.
These disturbances lead to a persistent energy deficit, switching to reliance on short-term, anaerobic pathways that cannot sustain normal body function.
Mitochondrial studies reveal reduced reserve capacity and ATP production, supporting that PEM results from a failure to meet energy demands after exertion.
Together, these findings suggest that ME/CFS reflects a maladaptive, hypometabolic state, analogous to the cell danger response and dauer state, that disrupts energy homeostasis and recovery.
Understanding the metabolic pathways provides a foundation for future discovery of a specific biomarker that would lead to more effective diagnosis and metabolism-based therapies.

Item Type: Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name: Duinen, H. van
Degree programme: Biology
Thesis type: Bachelor's Thesis
Language: English
Date Deposited:01 Jul 2025 11:07
URI: https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/35577

 

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Forward

This thesis's subject has a very personal story. When it came to choosing a supervisor for the thesis, I immediately knew I wanted to write something in the field of medical physiology. Thus, I approached Dr. Hiske van Duinen, who suggested ME/CFS as a potential topic. My answer was an enthusiastic yes.​

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As a ballet dancer, I’ve often seen people and experienced myself pushing through fatigue, something we, as dancers, are trained from a very young age, and we tend to normalize in demanding physical disciplines. But everything changed when a close friend of mine stopped recovering from fatigue altogether. Days passed, and instead of improving, the condition worsened. Eventually, the friend was diagnosed with ME/CFS, and I realised how serious and misunderstood this condition truly is.​

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When someone says they suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, many people tend to respond with dismissive advice: “Just take a break” or “Get some sleep”. But ME/CFS is not simply tiredness. It is a debilitating illness where rest does not bring recovery, and waking up only feels like getting further from wellness. This experience affected me deeply and inspired me to dedicate my thesis to raising awareness about ME/CFS as a real, complex, and unrecognized condition.​

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Through this thesis, I hope to bring to attention the biological basis of ME/CFS and contribute, maybe in a small way, to a better understanding of the disease that may lead to improved diagnosis and eventually, fewer misdiagnosed cases.​

 

[Trish]

I see this is an undergrad thesis for a Bachelor degree, and would seem from the abstract to be an essay based on a limited range of existing research particularly related to metabolism, mitochondria and energy production.