The extreme mental and physical fatigue brought on by long COVID may be a result of structural changes in the brain, new research suggests. These observable changes not only promise to improve the diagnosis of the chronic disease but could also open new avenues for potential treatments.
At least 65 million individuals are thought to have been affected by long COVID worldwide, as estimated by a study published in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology in January 2023. This equates to roughly one in 10 individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2. The chronic condition can affect anyone, regardless of the severity of the initial infection.
Among the more than 200 symptoms associated with long COVID, brain fog and fatigue are two of the most widespread and long-lasting. A recent study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found that nearly 90 percent of people with long COVID experienced fatigue, forgetfulness and brain fog.
In a new study published in the journal Psychiatry Research, researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid scanned the brains of 129 long COVID patients to evaluate changes in brain structure and function in these patients. Eighty-six percent of these patients suffered from chronic fatigue, which was highly correlated with other cognitive complaints like brain fog.
Those who experienced fatigue also showed structural changes in their brains associated with how different brain regions were able to communicate. The regions affected included the frontal lobe—which is involved in things like planning, reasoning and problem-solving—and the temporal lobe, which is associated with memory and processing. These areas have also been the focus of research into the neurological imprints of chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME.
Changes in the insulating white matter that helps transmit information across our brains were also seen in the brains of long COVID sufferers with lingering fatigue.
"The existence of several brain characteristics associated with fatigue severity detected by magnetic resonance imaging could constitute a neuroimaging biomarker to objectively evaluate this symptom in clinical trials," the researchers write.
Not only do these findings suggest a tangible method for diagnosing long COVID–induced chronic fatigue, but they may also offer new insights into potential treatments for this condition.
"The involvement of the central nervous system in the pathophysiology of fatigue in post-COVID syndrome paves the way for the use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to alleviate fatigue in these patients," the researchers write.
Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Reference
Diez-Cirarda, M., Yus-Fuertes, M., Polidura, C., Gil-Martinez, L., Delgado-Alonso, C., Delgado-Álvarez, A., Gomez-Ruiz, N., Gil-Moreno, M.J., Jorquera, M., Oliver-Mas, S., Gómez-Pinedo, U., Matias-Guiu, J., Arrazola, J., & Matias-Guiu, J. A. (2024). Neural basis of fatigue in post-COVID syndrome and relationships with cognitive complaints and cognition. Psychiatry Research, 340, 116113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116113
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
