ME studies offer hope to sufferers

SUFFERers of the chronic fatigue syndrome ME were today given hope of a new understanding of the debilitating condition after academics were awarded significant grants to explore its causes.
By Martin Slack
Published 8th May 2012, 07:00 BST

Scientists at Sheffield University have been given almost £25,000 to study the condition from a total fund of £61,000 which has been provided by the charity Action for ME following a donation from an anonymous benefactor.

Prof Annalena Venneri, who will lead the work, said: “By studying how brain processes change when patients suffering from ME experience different levels of fatigue, we aim to uncover possible links with brain physiology and function that may be associated with this condition.

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“This could potentially help in finding and directing new forms of treatment that may be beneficial to ME sufferers.”

Scientists at Newcastle University and Northumbria University have also been funded by the charity. Its chief executive Sir Peter Spencer said: “This will extend our understanding of this chronic illness which wrecks the lives of so many people in the UK.”