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https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000293432400216X
Imbalanced Brain Neurochemicals in long COVID and ME/CFS: A Preliminary Study using MRI
Kiran Thapaliya, PhD 1*, Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, PhD 1 , Natalie Eaton-Fitch, PhD 1 , Zeinab Eftekhari BSc (Honours)2 ,Maira Inderyas MSc.1 , and Leighton Barnden, PhD 1
1 National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED), Griffith University, Australia
2 Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Australia
CofI: None
Author’s contribution: KT: conceptualization, formal analysis, and writing–original draft. KT and ZF: methodology. KT, LB, NE-F, ZF, MI, and SM-G: writing–review and editing. KT, MI: Data curation, LB and SM-G: supervision. LB, KT, SM-G, NE-F; funding acquisition.
All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
open access
Abstract
Purpose
Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients experience multiple complex symptoms, potentially linked to imbalances in brain neurochemicals. This study aims to measure brain neurochemical levels in long COVID and ME/CFS patients as well as healthy controls to investigate associations with severity measures.
Methods
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data was acquired with a 3T Prisma MRI scanner. We measured absolute levels of brain neurochemicals in the posterior cingulate cortex in long COVID (n=17), ME/CFS (n=17), and healthy controls (n=10) using Osprey software. The statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 29. Age and sex were included as nuisance covariates.
Results
Glutamate levels were significantly higher in long COVID (p=0.02) and ME/CFS (p=0.017) than in healthy controls. No significant difference was found between the two patient cohorts. Additionally, N-acetyl-aspartate levels were significantly higher in long COVID patients (p=0.012). Importantly, brain neurochemical levels were associated with self-reported severity measures in long COVID and ME/CFS.
Conclusion
Our study identified significantly elevated Glutamate and N-acetyl-aspartate levels in long COVID and ME/CFS patients compared with healthy controls. No significant differences in brain neurochemicals were observed between the two patient cohorts, suggesting a potential overlap in their underlying pathology. These findings suggest that imbalanced neurochemicals contribute to the complex symptoms experienced by long COVID and ME/CFS patients.
Keywords
long COVID
ME/CFS
glutamate
N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA)
brain neurochemicals
and MRI
Clinical Significance
This research is funded by ME Research UK (SCIO Charity Number SC036942) with the financial support of The Fred and Joan Davies Bequest. Other funding bodies include The Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation (489798), the National Health and Medical Research Council (1199502), Talei Foundation, Buxton Foundation (4676), Henty Community (4879), Henty Lions Club (4880), Blake Beckett Trust Foundation (4579), Alison Hunter Memorial Foundation (4570), and the Change for ME Charity (4575).
Imbalanced Brain Neurochemicals in long COVID and ME/CFS: A Preliminary Study using MRI
Kiran Thapaliya, PhD 1*, Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik, PhD 1 , Natalie Eaton-Fitch, PhD 1 , Zeinab Eftekhari BSc (Honours)2 ,Maira Inderyas MSc.1 , and Leighton Barnden, PhD 1
1 National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED), Griffith University, Australia
2 Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Australia
CofI: None
Author’s contribution: KT: conceptualization, formal analysis, and writing–original draft. KT and ZF: methodology. KT, LB, NE-F, ZF, MI, and SM-G: writing–review and editing. KT, MI: Data curation, LB and SM-G: supervision. LB, KT, SM-G, NE-F; funding acquisition.
All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
open access
Abstract
Purpose
Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients experience multiple complex symptoms, potentially linked to imbalances in brain neurochemicals. This study aims to measure brain neurochemical levels in long COVID and ME/CFS patients as well as healthy controls to investigate associations with severity measures.
Methods
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) data was acquired with a 3T Prisma MRI scanner. We measured absolute levels of brain neurochemicals in the posterior cingulate cortex in long COVID (n=17), ME/CFS (n=17), and healthy controls (n=10) using Osprey software. The statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 29. Age and sex were included as nuisance covariates.
Results
Glutamate levels were significantly higher in long COVID (p=0.02) and ME/CFS (p=0.017) than in healthy controls. No significant difference was found between the two patient cohorts. Additionally, N-acetyl-aspartate levels were significantly higher in long COVID patients (p=0.012). Importantly, brain neurochemical levels were associated with self-reported severity measures in long COVID and ME/CFS.
Conclusion
Our study identified significantly elevated Glutamate and N-acetyl-aspartate levels in long COVID and ME/CFS patients compared with healthy controls. No significant differences in brain neurochemicals were observed between the two patient cohorts, suggesting a potential overlap in their underlying pathology. These findings suggest that imbalanced neurochemicals contribute to the complex symptoms experienced by long COVID and ME/CFS patients.
Keywords
long COVID
ME/CFS
glutamate
N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA)
brain neurochemicals
and MRI
Clinical Significance
- People with long COVID and ME/CFS have elevated glutamate and N-acetyl-aspartate levels compared to healthy controls in the posterior cingulate cortex, potentially causing multiple symptoms in both conditions.
- Similarities in brain neurochemicals between long COVID and ME/CFS provide further evidence for a significant link between the two conditions.
- Associations between brain neurochemicals and severity measures in long COVID and ME/CFS, may highlight the role of neurochemicals in these conditions.
This research is funded by ME Research UK (SCIO Charity Number SC036942) with the financial support of The Fred and Joan Davies Bequest. Other funding bodies include The Stafford Fox Medical Research Foundation (489798), the National Health and Medical Research Council (1199502), Talei Foundation, Buxton Foundation (4676), Henty Community (4879), Henty Lions Club (4880), Blake Beckett Trust Foundation (4579), Alison Hunter Memorial Foundation (4570), and the Change for ME Charity (4575).
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