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Better understanding ME/CFS syndrome during sleep
The exact causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) are not fully understood. The Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg wants to use its mobile EEG system for sleep monitoring in the home environment as part of the BMBF-funded research network “Sleep-Neuro-Path” to support the study of neurophysiological sleep characteristics in affected patients. Over the next three years, the project consortium will investigate biological mechanisms of the disease with the aim of helping to develop effective therapies. The project will be presented to the public on May 13, 2025, at the ME/CFS Symposium in Berlin.
Oldenburg, May 9, 2025. Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex illness whose exact mechanisms are still unclear. Many sufferers experience far-reaching impairments in their everyday lives and are dependant on others for care. They experience functional disorders of the central nervous system that can lead to cognitive impairments, symptoms of severe fatigue (physical and mental exhaustion) or hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli. The “Sleep-Neuro-Path” research network, coordinated by the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Mannheim, aims to contribute to research into the origin and development of ME/CFS in the body.
Sleep characteristics as a “window into brain function”
To understand the causes and effects of ME/CFS, gaps in knowledge still need to be filled. Among other things, it is necessary to clarify which processes in the body are associated with the symptoms of the disease. For this purpose, the researchers are examining a large amount of biodata from affected individuals. They measure the brain activity of test subjects during sleep using electroencephalography (EEG), as changes in so-called sleep spindles, for example, can provide new clues about underlying disease mechanisms. Using selected features of the sleep EEG, the researchers aim to identify functional disorders in neural networks that manifest themselves in patients as fatigue or cognitive impairments, for example. The neural biomarkers will then be linked to multimodal, imaging, and biochemical investigations of the blood vessel system. “Through our work, we hope to gain a better understanding of the biological mechanisms of ME/CFS. Combined with the determination of genetic predispositions to various diseases, we also hope to derive predictors for ME/CFS at an individual level, which will offer approaches for future personalized therapy”, explains Dr. Claudia Schilling, head of the sleep laboratory and the Neuropsychiatric Sleep Disorders Research Group at the CIMH in Mannheim.
Mobile sleep studies for affected adolescents
The Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT in Oldenburg is collecting sleep data from seriously ill young ME/CFS patients at the Marien Hospital in Wesel as part of a research project. The sensor system for mobile EEG recording (https://www.idmt.fraunhofer.de/sleepwell) developed by Fraunhofer is to be used in the patients' home environment. “Our easy-to-apply and flexible electrode grids are placed on the face and enable us to record multi-channel EEG overnight with as little discomfort as possible for the patients”, explains Dr. Insa Wolf, Head of Mobile Neurotechnologies at Fraunhofer IDMT. The institute's analysis focuses on the detection and characterization of sleep spindles.
The three subprojects at the CIMH in Mannheim, the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) in Kiel, and Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg are funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
Public ME/CFS Symposium 2025 livestream
On May 13, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the “ME/CFS Symposium 2025 – Research in Germany” will take place at the Harnack House of the Max Planck Society in Berlin. Dr. Claudia Schilling will give a keynote speech presenting the “Sleep-Neuro-Path” research network. The event is aimed at people affected by ME/CFS and the general public and will provide information on the current status of ongoing research projects. All presentations can be followed in German via an online livestream after registering free of charge via https://events.mecfs-research.org/de/events/symposium_2025.
Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology HSA at Fraunhofer IDMT
in Oldenburg
Founded in 2008 by Prof. Dr. Dr. Birger Kollmeier and Dr. Jens-E. Appell, the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT’s Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology HSA stands for market-oriented research and development with a focus on the following areas:
• Speech and event recognition
• Sound quality and speech intelligibility
• Mobile neurotechnology and systems for networked healthcare
With in-house expertise in the development of hardware and software systems for audio system technology and signal enhancement, the employees at the Oldenburg site are responsible for transferring scientific findings into practical, customer-oriented solutions.
Through scientific cooperation, the institute is closely linked to the Carl von Ossietzky University, Jade University of Applied Sciences, and the University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer. Fraunhofer IDMT is a partner in the »Hearing4all« cluster of excellence and in the Collaborative Research Centre »Hearing Acoustics«.
Further information on https://www.idmt.fraunhofer.de/hsa
Contact for the media:
Christian Colmer
Head of Marketing and Communication
Fraunhofer-Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT
Oldenburg Branch for Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology HSA
Marie-Curie-Str. 2
26129 Oldenburg
Phone +49 441 80097-312
christian.colmer@idmt.fraunhofer.de
http://www.idmt.fraunhofer.de/hsa
http://www.idmt.fraunhofer.de/hsa
A. Ahlf-Scheffler (UKSH), A. Winneke (IDMT), M. Graf (CIMH), C. Schilling (CIMH), W. Pätzold (IDMT), ...
Fraunhofer IDMT
Fraunhofer IDMT wants to use its mobile EEG system for sleep monitoring in the home environment as p ...
Fraunhofer IDMT/Leona Hofmann
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