Vance Spence

Source:25%MEGroup

Vance A. Spence, Ph.D., was a Principal Clinical Scientist responsible for vascular services and research. In 1997, he returned from an early retirement due to contracting myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) to become an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of Dundee, Scotland, with the objective of stimulating research into the cause of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). He is especially interested in the role of inflammation, oxidative stress, and acetylcholine in these illnesses.

Dr Spence helped found and serves as Chairman of ME Research UK, a research group. Additionally, he helped found MERGE, the ME biomedical research charity and serves as Scientific Advisor for the 25 Percent ME Group, a patient group for the severe ME patient.

Talks and interviews

• 01 May 2007, Speaker at Day 1 of the 2nd Invest in ME International ME Conference; talk title - Biomedical Research into ME/CFS: where does it go from here - (Video)
• 02 May 2007, Speaker at Day 2 of the 2nd Invest in ME International ME Conference; talk title - Biomedical Research into ME/CFS: where does it go from here - (Video)
• 2007, Speaker at the Eighth International IACFSME Conference Agenda on "Inflammation and Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
• 2014, Speaker at the ME Research UK Stormont Parliament meeting, ‘ME in Northern Ireland: practice and research priorities’; talk title - “The science of ME/CFS: What do we know?”

Notable studies

• 2004, Peripheral cholinergic function in humans with chronic fatigue syndrome, Gulf War syndrome and with illness following organophosphate exposure
• 2004, Acetylcholine mediated vasodilatation in the microcirculation of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
• 2005, Oxidative stress levels are raised in chronic fatigue syndrome and are associated with clinical symptoms
• 2008, Low-grade inflammation and arterial wave reflection in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

See also

• 25 Percent ME Group
• ME Research UK

See myalgic encephalomyelitis.

See chronic fatigue syndrome.

biomedical research basic medical research on organisms, such as humans or other living things, that helps increase medical knowledge. (Learn more: me-pedia.org)

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.

Involving the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Cholinergic side effects include diarrhea, blurred vision, decreased intraocular pressure, contricted pupil in the eyes, sweating, increased saliva and mucus on the lungs, bronchial constriction, increased gastrointestinal tone, decreased blood pressure, slow heart rate, and contraction of bladder detrusor muscle. muscle spasms/cramps, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, nausea and vomiting, increased saliva and sweating, shortness of breath, and urinating more often.

cholinergic Involving the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Cholinergic side effects include diarrhea, blurred vision, decreased intraocular pressure, contricted pupil in the eyes, sweating, increased saliva and mucus on the lungs, bronchial constriction, increased gastrointestinal tone, decreased blood pressure, slow heart rate, and contraction of bladder detrusor muscle. muscle spasms/cramps, low blood pressure, slowed heart rate, nausea and vomiting, increased saliva and sweating, shortness of breath, and urinating more often.