Longitudinal Neurochemical Aftermath from Post-COVID Sequalae in the Posterior Cingulate Gyrus

Motivation: Long-term post-COVID syndrome involves lasting symptoms including chronic-fatigue-syndrome or myalgic-encephalomyelitis(CFS/ME). We aim to investigate longitudinal changes in mitochondrial dysregulation and neurochemical abnormalities, which may be linked to the recovery of the post-COVID syndrome. Goal(s): We seek to evaluate longitudinal changes in post-COVID CFS/ME patients in relation to neurochemical markers of neuroinflammation, redox imbalance, and neuronal dysfunction. Approach: Ten-patients with post-COVID CFS/ME were scanned using proton MRS at two-time points targeting at posterior cingulate gyrus(PCG). Results: Overall neuronal activity recovered in patients with post-COVID CFS/ME as well as chronic fatigue scores, but the recovery did not reach the levels observed in other metabolic information. Impact: A longitudinal assessment of neurochemical metabolites in PCG reveals that while neuronal activity may recover, clinical symptoms of post-COVID fatigue can persist, potentially alongside markers of mitochondrial dysfunction that show no improvement over time.