Central nervous system

The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.

The brain and spinal cord have their own immune system. Microglia cells are a part of that immune system.

Injury to the brain or spinal cord, such as those caused by stroke or trauma, result in a considerable weakening of the immune system.

Autopsy
ME/CFS patient autopsies have shown changes to the spinal cord.


 * Sophia Mirza's autopsy showed her spine contained massive infection.
 * Lynn Gilderdale had ganglionitis which is an infection of dorsal root ganglia of her spine, typical for a neurological illness.
 * Merryn Crofts's autopsy showed she had ganglionitis.

Brain imaging

 * 2014, Brains of People With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Offer Clues About Disorder


 * 2019, Evidence of widespread metabolite abnormalities in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: assessment with whole-brain magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Cytokines
Cytokines, found in spinal fluid, are increasingly found to be altered in ME/CFS patients and there are several studies by Ian Lipkin and Mady Hornig with the Microbe Discovery Project. See: Cytokine (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome section)

Neuropathological findings

 * 2017, CNS findings in chronic fatigue syndrome and a neuropathological case report

Learn more

 * 2-Minute Neuroscience: Divisions of the Nervous System Video short


 * Central Nervous System Video short