Every week, we scan PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest research on long COVID, ME/CFS, chronic Lyme, and viral persistence — and deliver an editorial summary of what matters most.
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This issue covers 3 studies and 3 active trials:
This trial tests whether low-dose naltrexone reduces fatigue in patients with long COVID or ME/CFS. Participants take 4.5 mg daily for 16 weeks while researchers measure fatigue, neuroinflammation, and cognitive function.
This 500-person trial tests whether baricitinib — a medication that reduces inflammation — can improve cognitive function and quality of life in people with long COVID symptoms lasting at least 6 months.
Brain, Behavior, and Immunity · Fluge Ø, Rekeland I et al.
If you have ME/CFS, this research identifies specific immune markers that set it apart from depression — a meaningful step toward objective diagnosis and better-targeted treatment.
Researchers analyzed immune profiles in 214 ME/CFS patients and found that a panel of immune exhaustion markers distinguished ME/CFS from depression with 91% accuracy. Several markers overlap with those seen in long COVID and EBV cohorts.
Nature Immunology · Peluso MJ, Henrich TJ et al.
If you had COVID and are experiencing persistent brain fog, latent Epstein-Barr virus reactivation during your initial infection may have been a contributing factor.
A Stanford study followed 340 COVID patients for 12 months and found that EBV reactivation during acute COVID tripled the risk of lasting cognitive impairment, suggesting latent viruses may drive a subset of long-term neurological symptoms.