No one made any breakthrough with ME/CFS. A team comprising Dr Rowe and two Dutch Researchers ((Visser, Van Campen) made one of the most significant findings to come out of the ME/CFS field in the last decade â that blood flows to the brain are reduced upon standing not just in people with documented orthostatic intolerance (OI) but in virtually everyone with ME/CFS.
They also documented the existence of OI and reduced blood flows to the brain
in long COVID. In fact, blood flows to the brain were
more severely impaired in long COVID patients than in many people with ME/CFS.
PS: In broad terms, Orthostatic intolerance is the term used for difficulties with the upright posture, particularly when standing. When we go from lying to standing, gravity drags blood into our legs and pelvis. This movement of blood activates pressure receptors in the neck and chest and sends a message to our brain essentially signalling that blood gone elsewhere.
The natural response is to activate the nerves of our sympathetic ('fight or flight') nervous system. The nerve transmitter, noradrenaline, is then released from the nerves. This acts to tighten blood vessels in our legs, abdomen and pelvis so that blood is moved upwards against gravity and back to the heart. In additions there is a slight rise in the heart rate. All of this happens very quickly, usually
in less than a second, so our blood pressure remains stable and our brain keeps getting a good blood supply when we move from lying to sitting or further to standing.
Let's hope and wish her get well.