Michael Maes

Michael Maes, M.D., Ph.D., is a researcher at IMPACT Strategic Research Center, Barwon Health, Deakin University, School of Medicine, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. He is, also, affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand and Health Sciences Graduate Program, Health Sciences Center, State University of Londrina, Brazil.

His special interests include: Behavorial Systems Biology, Major depression, inflammatory illnesses and chronic fatigue syndrome.

In 2015, Maes developed a new case definition of ME/CFS called Neuro-Inflammatory and Oxidative Fatigue (NIOF) "based on pattern recognition methods and using neuro-immune, inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative stress (neuro-IO&NS) biomarkers as external validating criteria." These biomarkers include "IgM / IgA responses against LPS [lipopolysaccharides] of gut commensal bacteria (leaky gut), IgM responses to O&NS modified neoepitopes, autoimmunity to serotonin, plasma interleukin-1 (IL-1) and serum neopterin." Maes sees a "significant overlap between NIOF  and  CFS  although  NIOF  criteria  were much  more restrictive."

Published Studies

 * 2016, The role of microbiota and intestinal permeability in the pathophysiology of autoimmune and neuroimmune processes with an emphasis on Inflammatory Bowel Disease Type 1 Diabetes and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
 * 2015, A new case definition of Neuro-Inflammatory and Oxidative Fatigue (NIOF), a neuroprogressive disorder, formerly known as chronic fatigue syndrome or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis: results of multivariate pattern recognition methods and external validation by neuro-immune biomarkers. The aim of the present study was to delineate a new case definition of ME/CFS based on pattern recognition methods and using neuro-immune, inflammatory, oxidative and nitrosative stress (neuro-IO&NS) biomarkers as external validating criteria] (September 2015, Michael Maes)
 * 2015, Central pathways causing fatigue in neuro-inflammatory and autoimmune illnesses. BMC Medicine
 * 2014, The emerging role of autoimmunity in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/cfs)
 * 2011, Increased IgA responses to the LPS of commensal bacteria is associated with inflammation and activation of cell-mediated immunity in chronic fatigue syndrome.
 * 2008, A review on cognitive behavorial therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) in myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): CBT/GET is not only ineffective and not evidence-based, but also potentially harmful for many patients with ME/CFS.
 * 2006, Increased serum IgA and IgM against LPS of enterobacteria in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): indication for the involvement of gram-negative enterobacteria in the etiology of CFS and for the presence of an increased gut-intestinal permeability.

Talks & Interviews

 * 21 August 2013, Dr Michael Maes: The Immune Pathophysiology of ME/CFS/FM - seminar given at Emerge Australia (formerly ME/CFS Australia (Victoria)) at The Alfred Hospital

Online Presence

 * PubMed
 * Onward thru the Fog blog article about Dr. Maes' research