| Recent studies and researches have turned up | | | | proved to be very hard. |
| that would help us all to get a grip on chronic | | | | Some doctors even provide little sympathy for |
| fatigue syndrome. It was found out that there | | | | people with CFS and they dismiss such condition |
| have been differences with the gene expression | | | | as just "all in the sufferer's mind." |
| on the chronic fatigue syndrome sufferer's | | | | With the findings of Jonathan Kerr and his team, |
| immune cells. This discovery could actually lead to | | | | they have compared the gene expression levels |
| having a specific blood test geared towards this | | | | present in 25 healthy persons' white blood cells |
| disorder and enable the development of specific | | | | with those of 25 persons diagnosed with chronic |
| drugs to treat it. | | | | fatigue syndrome according to the strict criteria. |
| Chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms were | | | | Using DNA chip technology, these researchers |
| compared to the signs of a terrible hangover: | | | | found certain differences in 35 of 9522 genes |
| - Extreme weakness | | | | they have analyzed. |
| - Disrupted sleep | | | | Basing on similar researches that have been done |
| - Bad headache | | | | in the past which turned out with conflicting |
| - Impaired thinking processes and memory | | | | results, Kerr and his team made sure that they |
| Unlike a hangover, though, which could last a day | | | | double checked the study results they turned up |
| or two, at most, CFS usually go on for months | | | | with. They used real-time PCR in order to |
| on end and even years and years until the | | | | accurately re-check the results. This confirmed |
| sufferers lives have been completely devastated | | | | that 15 of the studied genes were about four |
| and debilitated. | | | | times as active in CFS patients while there is 1 |
| Nowadays, no one can every doubt that CFS do | | | | gene that's less active. |
| exist. Still almost every aspect about this condition | | | | The study process is being repeated by Kerr with |
| is very controversial in the medical world. Many | | | | 1000 CFS patients and healthy individuals. With |
| medical specialists are truly convinced that CFS | | | | this, he and his team are looking up at 47,000 |
| has a biological source but getting to the bottom | | | | gene products. According to him the larger study |
| of what particular physical abnormalities are | | | | they are doing is backing up the earlier results |
| exhibited by those suffering from CFS have | | | | with smaller number of subjects. |