A major genetic study of chronic fatigue syndrome has begun, it has been announced.
Researchers at Edinburgh University’s MRC Human Genetics Unit plan to analysis samples from 25,000 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis.
5,000 of the patients are people who have contracted the illness since the pandemic infection.
As many as 250,000 people in the UK have the problem, which has been medically controversial for decades.
The project leader is Professor Chris Ponting, chair of medical bioinformatics at the university and principal investigator in the genetics unit.
Professor Ponting said: “The data generated through these questionnaires and genetic analyses will be invaluable in understanding ME/CFS. Genome-wide association studies, like the DecodeME study, have already proved successful in helping to uncover the biological roots of many other complex diseases including type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.
“This is the first sizable DNA study of ME/CFS, and any differences we find compared to control samples will serve as important biological clues. Specifically, we believe the results should help identify genes, biological molecules and types of cells that may play a part in causing ME/CFS.”
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