Recent research from Griffith University has revealed that patients with Long COVID exhibit swelling in the hippocampus, a brain region associated with memory and concentration. The study also found that individuals suffering from myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) show similar changes. These findings could pave the way for faster diagnostic tools and new treatment strategies for both conditions.*

Brain Imaging Uncovers Key Similarities

Using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers at the National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Diseases (NCNED) in Australia examined the brain scans of 17 Long COVID patients, 29 ME/CFS patients, and 15 healthy individuals. Their analysis revealed that those with Long COVID or ME/CFS had an enlarged hippocampus compared to the control group.

Lead researcher Dr. Kiran Thapaliya emphasized the significance of this finding, stating, “We found significant association between hippocampus volume and severity measures such as impaired concentration, unrestorative sleep, pain, and fatigue.” 

Co-author Professor Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik noted that the overlap between the two conditions was remarkable and that this discovery could streamline treatment development. “Because there’s such overlap between ME and Long COVID,” she explained, “it allows us to fast-track, potentially, treatments that we’ve been exploring in ME patients, and how we can then apply them to Long COVID.”

Validation for Patients and Potential for Better Therapies

For those living with ME/CFS, the study provides much-needed validation. Debbie Flesser, who has battled ME/CFS for over two decades, welcomed the findings as proof that the illness is not just psychological but a real physiological condition. “There hasn’t always been recognition that this is a physical illness,” she said.

Flesser remains cautiously optimistic about future treatments. She currently manages her condition with low-dose naltrexone, which helps alleviate some symptoms but does not fully address her chronic fatigue. “If someone has diabetes, the doctor can do a test, a blood test, and see how severe it is,” she noted, expressing hope that similar diagnostic advancements will eventually be available for ME/CFS and Long COVID.

Seeking to Understand the Underlying Mechanisms

The study raises intriguing questions about why hippocampal volume increases in Long COVID and ME/CFS patients. Dr. Thapaliya speculates that “There could be some kind of functional compensation going on—if the hippocampus is having difficulties in processing information, it requires more neurons, or more cells, to function.”

Another hypothesis is that lingering viral infections may contribute to the observed changes. While conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and motor neuron disease typically result in brain shrinkage, this research suggests that Long COVID and ME/CFS involve a distinct neurological process. More extensive studies are needed to confirm the results, however.

As scientists continue to investigate these conditions, the Griffith University study represents a significant step forward in understanding and validating the experiences of those suffering from Long COVID and ME/CFS. The hope is that such research will, sooner rather than later, lead to effective treatments and improved quality of life for millions of affected individuals.

*Miles, J. (2025, February 10). Long COVID patients show brain swelling linked to memory and concentration problems, study finds. ABC News Australia. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-11/long-covid-brain-swelling-memory-problems-research-queensland/104917572    

Responsum Health closely vets all sources to ensure that we always provide you with high-quality, reliable information. We do not, however, endorse or recommend any specific providers, treatments, or products, and the use of a given source does not imply an endorsement of any provider, treatment, medication, or procedure discussed within.