Cracking Chronic Fatigue

The Naked Scientists Podcast

Dr Chris Smith

Science Radio, Engineering, Naked Scientists, Natural Sciences, Technology, Life Sciences, Health & Fitness, Medicine, Science

4.6 • 957 Ratings

🗓️ 12 May 2012

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) sufferers describe symptoms of severe exhaustion, weakness, muscle pain and fatigue. But why, and what is science revealing about the underlying causes of the condition? We talk to a researcher who is probing the genetic links to the syndrome, a clinician with evidence that the muscles of patients accumulate acid when they exercise and a pathologist with post-mortem evidence of inflammation in the nervous systems of CFS sufferers. Also, in the news this week, the ants that help a pitcher plant to catch its lunch, the missile-hurling zoo chimp who plans his... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Transcript

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0:00.0	Stripping down science
0:07.0	the naked scientists the naked scientists This week we're looking at chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS or as it's also known
0:28.5	M. E sufferers describe debilitating fatigue pain and other symptoms that go on for months or even years,
0:35.6	without a clear cause or definitive treatment.
0:38.4	Some people believe it's a physical illness, while others think it may be in the mind. So what does the latest research say?
0:44.4	Some intriguing findings are now surfacing.
0:46.9	We've had patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, ME and we've had them exercising
0:52.3	in the MRI scanner. We've been able to show that patients
0:55.9	with fatigue accumulate lots of acid within their muscles when they exercise and have difficulty getting rid of that acid when they're
1:05.0	finish exercising.
1:06.5	We'll also hear what a recent post-mortem study on a group of
1:09.6	CFS patients has revealed and discuss whether there might be a genetic link to
1:13.8	the disorder. I'm Katani and with me is Chris Smith. Hello and in the news
1:19.1	this week how a carnivorous plant and an ant species have teamed up together to share the food
1:24.9	they catch. Scientists are saying it's a first and also the missile hurling
1:29.1	chimp that plans ahead how he's going to attack visitors to his zoo. What a pleasant fellow and also
1:35.2	an unusual cause of climate change, dinosaurs with the wind.
1:42.2	The Naked Scientists Podcast is powered by The UK's best hosting provider on the web at UK Fast.
1:46.0	The UK's best hosting provider on the web at UKfast.co.
1:51.0	UK. So to kick off our look at chronic fatigue syndrome we're joined by Dr.
2:00.1	S. the Crawley a clinician and a researcher who works on the condition and she's based at the University of Bristol.
2:05.6	Hi Esther?
	...

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