Basant Puri

Basant K. Puri, Professor, is a member of the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medicine, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College School of Medicine, UK. He is, also, a part-time consultant and medical researcher at Breakspear Medical, Hertfordshire, UK.

He is head of the Lipid Neuroscience Group at Imperial College and is the author of over 130 peer-reviewed medical and scientific papers and over 30 books. He used proton neurospectroscopy to identify a differential variation in choline levels in the brains of ME patients, suggesting that there are insufficient levels of fatty acids chains in the brains of ME patients.

Talks and Interviews

 * 2006, Speaker at the 1st [[Invest in ME International ME Conference] on Lipid Neuroscience - an overall picture of (and links to) other treatments/research] DVD available

Publications Related to ME

 * 2017, A Comparison of Neuroimaging Abnormalities in Multiple Sclerosis, Major Depression and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis): is There a Common Cause? Abstract: There is copious evidence of abnormalities in resting-state functional network connectivity states, grey and white matter pathology and impaired cerebral perfusion in patients afforded a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, major depression or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (myalgic encephalomyelitis). Systemic inflammation may well be a major element explaining such findings. Inter-patient and inter-illness variations in neuroimaging findings may arise at least in part from regional genetic, epigenetic and environmental variations in the functions of microglia and astrocytes. Regional differences in neuronal resistance to oxidative and inflammatory insults and in the performance of antioxidant defences in the central nervous system may also play a role. Importantly, replicated experimental findings suggest that the use of high-resolution SPECT imaging may have the capacity to differentiate patients afforded a diagnosis of CFS from those with a diagnosis of depression. Further research involving this form of neuroimaging appears warranted in an attempt to overcome the problem of aetiologically heterogeneous cohorts which probably explain conflicting findings produced by investigative teams active in this field. However, the ionising radiation and relative lack of sensitivity involved probably preclude its use as a routine diagnostic tool.
 * 2012, Regional grey and white matter volumetric changes in myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome): a voxel-based morphometry 3 T MRI study. FULL TEXT"Abstract: 'High-resolution structural 3 T cerebral MRI scanning was carried out in 26 patients with CFS and 26 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers...Significant voxels (p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons) depicting reduced grey matter volume in the CFS group were noted in the occipital lobes (right and left occipital poles; left lateral occipital cortex, superior division; and left supracalcrine cortex), the right angular gyrus and the posterior division of the left parahippocampal gyrus. Significant voxels (p<0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons) depicting reduced white matter volume in the CFS group were also noted in the left occipital lobe....These data support the hypothesis that significant neuroanatomical changes occur in CFS, and are consistent with the complaint of impaired memory that is common in this illness; they also suggest that subtle abnormalities in visual processing, and discrepancies between intended actions and consequent movements, may occur in CFS.'"
 * 2011, Increased tenderness in the left third intercostal space in adult patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis: a controlled study. "Abstract: 'A clinical sign has not thus far been associated with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). The present study involved systematic clinical examination that included inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation of the thorax of 42 ME patients and 20 age-matched healthy controls while sitting. Left lateral third intercostal space tenderness was noted in 34 (81%) of the patients and in none of the controls, a difference that was highly statistically significant. This finding may be related to changes in lymphatic function and to the descending course of the thoracic duct.'"
 * 2009, An in vivo proton neurospectroscopy study of cerebral oxidative stress in myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome). "Abstract:'The aim of this study was to carry out the first direct assessment of cerebral GSH levels in myalgic encephalomyelitis; the hypothesis being tested was that cerebral GSH levels would be reduced in myalgic encephalomyelitis. Cerebral proton neurospectroscopy was carried out at a magnetic field strength of 3T in 26 subjects; spectra were obtained from 20x20x20mm(3) voxels using a point-resolved spectroscopy pulse sequence. The mean cerebral GSH level in the myalgic encephalomyelitis patients was 2.703 (SD 2.311) which did not differ significantly from that in age- and gender-matched normal controls who did not have any history of neurological or other major medical disorder (5.191, SD 8.984; NS). Therefore our study does not suggest that GSH is reduced in the brain in myalgic encephalomyelitis. At the present time, based on the results of this study, there is no evidence to support the suggestion that, by taking glutathione supplements, an improvement in the brain-related symptomatology of myalgic encephalomyelitis may occur.'"
 * 2009, Serial structural MRI analysis and proton and 31PMR spectroscopy in the investigation of cerebral fatty acids in major depressive disorder, Huntington's disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis and in forensic schizophrenic patients.
 * 2007, Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and the pathophysiology of myalgic encephalomyelitis (chronic fatigue syndrome). "Abstract: 'A potential therapeutic avenue could be offered by bypassing the inhibition of the enzyme delta-6-desaturase by treatment with virgin cold-pressed non-raffinated evening primrose oil, which would supply gamma-linolenic acid and lipophilic pentacyclic triterpenes, and with eicosapentaenoic acid. The gamma-linolenic acid can readily be converted into dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid and thence arachidonic acid, while triterpenes have important free radical scavenging, cyclo-oxygenase and neutrophil elastase inhibitory activities. Furthermore, both arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid are, at relatively low concentrations, directly virucidal.'"
 * 2006, Proton and 31-phosphorus neurospectroscopy in the study of membrane phospholipids and fatty acid intervention in schizophrenia, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis) and dyslexia.