HomeHealth CareStudy Finds Brain Changes Linked to Fatigue in Long COVID Patients

Study Finds Brain Changes Linked to Fatigue in Long COVID Patients

A recent study has identified changes in brain connectivity that may explain the debilitating fatigue experienced by many long COVID patients. Researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid have discovered alterations in the brain’s communication patterns, which could help objectively measure fatigue, one of the most challenging symptoms of long COVID to quantify.

Using brain scans from 127 long COVID patients, the team observed notable differences in the way key brain regions interacted. These areas include the frontal lobe, which governs higher executive functions like reasoning and planning, the temporal lobe, responsible for memory and processing, and the cerebellum, which controls movement and balance.

“These findings suggest a role of central nervous system involvement in the pathophysiology of fatigue in post-COVID syndrome,” the researchers explain, indicating that these brain changes could serve as biomarkers to assess fatigue in clinical trials.

Brain Connectivity Changes and Fatigue: The study revealed reduced connectivity between the frontal and occipital brain regions in patients experiencing global or physical fatigue. Meanwhile, increased connectivity was found between the cerebellar and temporal areas, potentially indicating the brain’s attempts to compensate for impaired function.

Mental fatigue stood out with distinct connectivity changes in specific regions such as the left prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and left insula. These areas form part of a known “mental fatigue network,” providing a possible explanation for the cognitive difficulties reported by many long COVID sufferers, including memory, attention, and processing issues.

White Matter and Demyelination

In addition to connectivity changes, the researchers found that long COVID patients exhibited signs of damage to white matter the part of the brain responsible for transmitting signals between neurons. The study points to demyelination, or the degradation of the protective sheath around neurons, as a potential cause of physical and mental fatigue. This process can lead to reduced nerve function, resulting in symptoms such as muscle weakness, blurred vision, and even slurred speech.

Interestingly, no significant changes were observed in gray matter in long COVID patients. Gray matter reductions were previously noted in patients during or shortly after COVID-19 infections, suggesting these changes may be temporary.

Implications for Future Research and Treatment: The study’s findings align with previous research on chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME), which presents similar symptoms to long COVID. However, further studies are required to explore the relationship between these two conditions.

Researchers are optimistic that the discovery of these brain changes could pave the way for new treatments. Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), might be developed to alleviate fatigue in long COVID patients.

As the understanding of long COVID’s impact on the brain deepens, this research represents a significant step towards identifying the biological underpinnings of one of the condition’s most persistent symptoms. The study, published in Psychiatry Research, offers hope for developing objective measures and effective treatments for fatigue in long COVID patients.

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