Further ME Research UK-funded research from Dr Leighton Barnden’s team at Griffith University adds to growing evidence that both ME/CFS and long COVID are associated with measurable changes in the brain.
Using advanced MRI techniques capable of detecting subtle abnormalities not picked up by standard scans, the team found alterations in brain tissue microstructure in both illnesses.
While the exact alterations differed somewhat between people with ME/CFS and those with long COVID, the findings support the idea that the illnesses share underlying neurological features that may contribute to symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
Although the results are promising, the researchers emphasise that larger, long-term studies are needed to confirm these findings and better understand their significance.
