About the Project
CFS/ME is a significant health burden (1-2) and the majority (85-94%) describe cognitive problems (3), of unknown aetiology. Two of the most common symptoms in MS are also fatigue and cognitive dysfunction which impact on quality of life (4). A comparison between CFS/ME and MS is appropriate because both patient populations present similar symptom cluster. Pilot Functional MRI studies carried out in CRICBristol have shown some promising clues that patients with CFS/ME (5) and MS may exhibit quantitative and qualitative differences in neural activity during performance of cognitive tasks.
Project outline:
This project will employ a series of fMRI experiments designed to investigate the relationship between fatigue and cognitive function. Studies of all potential subgroups of CFS/ME and MS patients using fMRI could help to further identify different patterns of neural activity which may aid in the characterization of the different phenotypes.
Translational focus:
Patients with CFS/ME and MS need effective treatments for their cognitive problems but to develop these we need a detailed understanding of the nature of the cognitive deficits and the relationship between fatigue and cognitive processes
The supervision team is an interdisciplinary partnership to deliver CRICBristol translational research. Their expertise in clinical applications of neuroimaging (Thai), fatigue (Crawley) and neuropsychology (Gilchrist) will deliver wide-ranging, high-quality research training for the student, who will unite these areas of strength.
How to Apply:
All applications should be submitted via the University of Bristol’s online application system.
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/prospectus/postgraduate/2014/apply
When completing your application please ensure that you:
• Select ‘Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry’ and then ‘PhD in Medicine’ for programme name.
• Under ‘Funding’ name ‘UoB Almuni Studentship’
• Under ‘Research details’ provide the project supervisors’ name.
For further details on this project please contact Dr J Thai ([Email Address Removed]) or Dr E Crawley ([Email Address Removed])
This PhD post will be funded by the University of Bristol’s Alumni
References
(1) Jason LA, Benton MC, Valentine L et al. The economic impact of ME/CFS: individual and societal costs. Dyn Med 2008; 7:6.
(2) Sabes-Figuera R, McCrone P, Hurley M et al. The hidden cost of CF to patients and their families. BMC Health Serv Res 2010; 10:56.
(3) Wilson A, Hickie I, Hadzi-Pavlovic D et al. What is CFS? Heterogeneity within an international multicentre study. Australian and NZ J of Psychiatry 2001; 35(4):520-527.
(4). Benedict, R. H., Wahlig, E., Bakshi, R., Fishman, I., Munschauer, F., et al. Predicting quality of life in multiple sclerosis: accounting for physical disability, fatigue, cognition, mood disorder, personality, and behavior change. J Neurol Sci, 2005 231(1-2), 29-34.
(5) Thai N. J., Andoh, J., Gilchrist, I, D, Jarrold C., O’Dowd,H & Crawley, E (2013) A functional MRI study of the neural mechanisms of attention in CFS/ME. Presented at UK CFS/ME Research Collaborative Launch Monday, 22nd April 2013
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