COLIN BARTON’S call for increased funding for research into the abnormal pathology of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is welcome and long-overdue (Letters, May 2).

Despite evidence of the same neurological inflammation being found in both Lynn Gilderdale and fellow ME sufferer Sophia Mirza (also from Sussex in 2005), post mortems rarely examine this unless specifically requested – and not a penny of public money has been allocated to investigate its occurrence.

Nor is there appropriate funding for research into this kind of inflammation in people living with ME.

Obviously, small contributions to charities are better than nothing at all.

But it might be instructive to publish – perhaps using a pie chart – the percentage of their donations that go towards physiological or genetic research, compared with the amount supporting possibly ineffective psychological treatment or potentially harmful exercise regimes.

This could act as a boost for the shift in priority that Colin sensibly calls for, and as a good example to others.

Dr John H Greensmith, North Street, Downend, Bristol, www.mefreeforall.org

THE ARGUS has, in the past, reported on the case of Kay Gilderdale and her late daughter Lynn, [first covered July 2006, and, most recently, on April 22, 2011] and has published letters about ME [May 2].

One of the barriers to finding a cure for ME is the public misconception that it is “all in the mind”.

The main reason for this is the expression “chronic fatigue syndrome”, which is actively and very successfully promoted by psychiatrists.

The public now believes that ME is, by definition, synonymous with fatigue.

In fact, the definition of ME is “inflammation of the brain and spinal chord”.

That, in plain English, is what ME actually means.

There has been recent research in the US into inflammation of the brain and this, I believe, is the way forward.

At the same time, we could all help by avoiding the expression “chronic fatigue” when talking about ME. This encourages an incorrect explanation of what this disease is.

Eddie Lewisohn, Fitzroy Court, Highgate, London