It is Real and Has an Identifiable Biologic Basis
Several published peer-reviewed studies conducted by the Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center are generating a growing body of evidence that Lyme disease associated persistent symptoms are biologically driven and not psychosomatic.
One study, published by Center Director, John Aucott, MD, shows that 14% of patients treated early for acute Lyme disease still go on to have chronic symptoms called post-treatment Lyme disease. This study validates that Lyme disease can trigger debilitating persistent symptoms, such as severe fatigue, body pain and cognitive challenges, despite early treatment with standard of care antibiotics. While new depression and anxiety can occur after chronic Lyme disease is established, the Center’s research suggests that it is often the result of chronic Lyme disease but not the original cause.
Cherie Marvel, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins, leads research using advanced MRI brain imaging techniques that objectively demonstrate structural and functional brain changes in Lyme disease patients, providing clear scientific evidence that Lyme disease-associated brain fog is real and a biologically based condition. Dr. Marvel’s novel research reveals significant insights into unexpected white matter changes in patients with chronic symptoms and post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD).
Brit Adler, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, works with Lyme disease patients suffering with dysautonomia and POTS to identify autonomic nervous system dysfunction that previously was unrecognized and that may also contribute to cognitive problems and symptoms of anxiety and depression.
John Miller, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, has published evidence that some people with persistent pain after acute Lyme disease can have ongoing joint inflammation, which may frequently be subtle and unrecognized, but can be detected by musculoskeletal ultrasound.
Our research also shows Lyme disease patients exhibit different microbiome, metabolome, gene regulation and epigenetic patterns, and immune responses compared to healthy controls.
Meaningful scientific progress begins with LISTENING TO OUR PATIENTS.
The qualitative research by Alison Rebman, MPH, has documented the importance of the patient’s illness narrative and how important health care provider validation of a patient’s story is. By actively engaging with our patients’ experiences and concerns, we ensure that our research remains grounded in real-world needs and perspectives. Alison’s qualitative research complements the objective biological evidence that demonstrates Lyme disease is not a psychosomatic illness.
In our clinic, our multidisciplinary team continues to uncover features of the patient’s illness that demonstrate Lyme disease is being driven by complex biologic processes such as inflammation, dysautonomia and dysregulated immune responses and is not a psychosomatic illness.
Our goal is to translate our research findings into more accurate diagnostics and effective treatments, ultimately improving the lives of those affected by Lyme disease.
