Long COVID Signal
@longcovidsignal.bsky.social
Tracking the latest Long COVID research so you don't have to.
Brain network communication was impaired during cognitive tasks in long COVID patients vs healthy controls.
Salience, language & executive networks showed connectivity deficits. Longer illness linked to weaker connections. Response times slower in 7T fMRI obs...
Salience, language & executive networks showed connectivity deficits. Longer illness linked to weaker connections. Response times slower in 7T fMRI obs...
Impaired brain intrinsic connectivity in long COVID during cognitive exertion revealed by independent component analysis - PubMed
Cognitive dysfunction is a symptom of Long COVID. To characterize functional connectivity changes that may contribute to cognitive dysfunction in Long COVID (LCov), two consecutive 450 s functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans (Runs 1 and 2) were acquired on a 7 Tesla MRI scanner. During …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
February 11, 2026 at 3:32 PM
Brain network communication was impaired during cognitive tasks in long COVID patients vs healthy controls.
Salience, language & executive networks showed connectivity deficits. Longer illness linked to weaker connections. Response times slower in 7T fMRI obs...
Salience, language & executive networks showed connectivity deficits. Longer illness linked to weaker connections. Response times slower in 7T fMRI obs...
Synbiotic supplements and herbal therapies improved fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
Brain stimulation (tDCS) plus exercise helped, but nerve stimulation alone showed limited benefit in 8 RCTs of brain-gut axis treatments in syst review. (n=790)
Brain stimulation (tDCS) plus exercise helped, but nerve stimulation alone showed limited benefit in 8 RCTs of brain-gut axis treatments in syst review. (n=790)
Potential application of brain-gut axis-based treatments in Long COVID and ME/CFS: a case-based systematic review - PubMed
Brain-gut axis-based interventions may alleviate fatigue in ME/CFS and Long COVID by potentially modulating neuroinflammation, restoring microbiome balance, and improving epithelial barrier function. EA-based vagal stimulation represents a feasible option for patients with severe or treatment-resist …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
February 11, 2026 at 3:12 PM
Synbiotic supplements and herbal therapies improved fatigue and post-exertional malaise.
Brain stimulation (tDCS) plus exercise helped, but nerve stimulation alone showed limited benefit in 8 RCTs of brain-gut axis treatments in syst review. (n=790)
Brain stimulation (tDCS) plus exercise helped, but nerve stimulation alone showed limited benefit in 8 RCTs of brain-gut axis treatments in syst review. (n=790)
Long COVID patients experienced decreased autonomy, trust, and certainty about their future.
Five key themes emerged: loss of independence, reduced trust in systems, worldview changes, social impacts, and pervasive uncertainty in qual study. (n=34)
Five key themes emerged: loss of independence, reduced trust in systems, worldview changes, social impacts, and pervasive uncertainty in qual study. (n=34)
The lived experience of long COVID: A thematic analysis of an in-depth interview study - PubMed
Long COVID is associated with significant physical and mental health burden, resulting in substantial quality of life limitations. The lived experience of individuals with long COVID is a vital consideration in evaluating the impact of the condition. Thirty-four adults with self-reported long COVID …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
February 10, 2026 at 6:18 PM
Long COVID patients experienced decreased autonomy, trust, and certainty about their future.
Five key themes emerged: loss of independence, reduced trust in systems, worldview changes, social impacts, and pervasive uncertainty in qual study. (n=34)
Five key themes emerged: loss of independence, reduced trust in systems, worldview changes, social impacts, and pervasive uncertainty in qual study. (n=34)
Lower mitochondrial DNA levels were linked to worse cognitive function in long COVID vs recovered controls. Patients also had higher inflammation (CRP) and 25% showed low-grade inflammation in nested case-control study. (n=228)
Circulating mitochondrial and cellular damage markers in long COVID: Links to cognitive function, psychological distress, and inflammation - PubMed
Persistent mitochondrial inflexibility and mitochondrial damage may contribute to Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). However, data linking mitochondrial biomarkers, such as circulating cell-free mitochondrial DNA (ccf-mtDNA) to long-COVID symptoms remain limited. We analyzed ccf-mtDNA relative …
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
February 10, 2026 at 2:48 PM
Lower mitochondrial DNA levels were linked to worse cognitive function in long COVID vs recovered controls. Patients also had higher inflammation (CRP) and 25% showed low-grade inflammation in nested case-control study. (n=228)
Neurological deficits persisted in 24% of Nipah virus survivors, rising to 45% among those with brain inflammation. 10% developed late-onset symptoms after initial recovery in Malaysia/Singapore syst review.
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.03.26345343v1
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.03.26345343v1
February 9, 2026 at 11:21 PM
Neurological deficits persisted in 24% of Nipah virus survivors, rising to 45% among those with brain inflammation. 10% developed late-onset symptoms after initial recovery in Malaysia/Singapore syst review.
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.03.26345343v1
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.03.26345343v1
Lower mitochondrial DNA levels were linked to worse cognitive function in long COVID vs recovered controls. Patients also had higher inflammation (CRP) and 25% showed low-grade inflammation in nested case-control study. (n=228)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654652/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654652/
February 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Lower mitochondrial DNA levels were linked to worse cognitive function in long COVID vs recovered controls. Patients also had higher inflammation (CRP) and 25% showed low-grade inflammation in nested case-control study. (n=228)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654652/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654652/
Loneliness increased significantly during COVID-19 and remained elevated post-pandemic vs pre-pandemic levels, especially in women. Higher policy restrictions linked to greater loneliness in curvilinear pattern in adults 65+ across 27 European...
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41656367/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41656367/
February 9, 2026 at 3:07 PM
Loneliness increased significantly during COVID-19 and remained elevated post-pandemic vs pre-pandemic levels, especially in women. Higher policy restrictions linked to greater loneliness in curvilinear pattern in adults 65+ across 27 European...
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41656367/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41656367/
American Indian/Alaska Native adults had 72% higher current long COVID odds vs whites. Rural residents had 16% higher odds vs urban. Uninsured had 24% higher current odds vs insured in US obs study. (n=80,093,998)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654702/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654702/
February 9, 2026 at 1:47 PM
American Indian/Alaska Native adults had 72% higher current long COVID odds vs whites. Rural residents had 16% higher odds vs urban. Uninsured had 24% higher current odds vs insured in US obs study. (n=80,093,998)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654702/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41654702/
Remote blood sampling achieved 98% retention in underserved women with COVID-19 over 6 months. All participants said they'd join similar studies again, with most willing to participate for 4+ years in longit. study. (n=40)
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.05.26345688v1
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.05.26345688v1
February 9, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Remote blood sampling achieved 98% retention in underserved women with COVID-19 over 6 months. All participants said they'd join similar studies again, with most willing to participate for 4+ years in longit. study. (n=40)
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.05.26345688v1
📄 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.02.05.26345688v1
Repeated COVID infections were linked to progressively higher COPD exacerbation risk (2.4x after 3+ infections vs none) and death risk (2.9x) in Korean COPD patients. Long COVID was most common after first infection in retro study. (n=313,760)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41651528/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41651528/
February 9, 2026 at 1:06 PM
Repeated COVID infections were linked to progressively higher COPD exacerbation risk (2.4x after 3+ infections vs none) and death risk (2.9x) in Korean COPD patients. Long COVID was most common after first infection in retro study. (n=313,760)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41651528/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41651528/
Fatigue and dyspnea affected a considerable proportion of long COVID patients for 1-24 months post-infection, but research methods varied widely across studies in syst review. (n=30,682)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41646510/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41646510/
February 6, 2026 at 11:26 PM
Fatigue and dyspnea affected a considerable proportion of long COVID patients for 1-24 months post-infection, but research methods varied widely across studies in syst review. (n=30,682)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41646510/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41646510/
Long COVID patients scored lowest (54/100) on shared decision-making with doctors, below endometriosis (58) and well under cancer (70) and depression (69) in French chronic disease patients obs study. (n=2,087)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41649074/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41649074/
February 6, 2026 at 11:17 PM
Long COVID patients scored lowest (54/100) on shared decision-making with doctors, below endometriosis (58) and well under cancer (70) and depression (69) in French chronic disease patients obs study. (n=2,087)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41649074/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41649074/
Higher antibody levels 28 days after COVID were linked to long COVID symptoms 8-10 months later. 16% of household contacts had asymptomatic infection. Fever and loss of smell occurred in nearly half of patients in US household cohort. (n=143)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642857/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642857/
February 6, 2026 at 10:16 PM
Higher antibody levels 28 days after COVID were linked to long COVID symptoms 8-10 months later. 16% of household contacts had asymptomatic infection. Fever and loss of smell occurred in nearly half of patients in US household cohort. (n=143)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642857/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642857/
Australian researchers will track long COVID rates in children 0-18 years vs influenza over 12 months using quality of life and fatigue measures in South Australia longit. study.
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642863/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642863/
February 6, 2026 at 3:16 PM
Australian researchers will track long COVID rates in children 0-18 years vs influenza over 12 months using quality of life and fatigue measures in South Australia longit. study.
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642863/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41642863/
COVID-19 was linked to higher future pneumonia risk vs controls: 3.7x higher for hospitalized patients, 1.4x for non-hospitalized. Risk highest in Medicaid/Medicare patients and those with unmet social needs in Bronx obs study. (n=1,328,844)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40560542/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40560542/
February 6, 2026 at 12:06 AM
COVID-19 was linked to higher future pneumonia risk vs controls: 3.7x higher for hospitalized patients, 1.4x for non-hospitalized. Risk highest in Medicaid/Medicare patients and those with unmet social needs in Bronx obs study. (n=1,328,844)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40560542/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40560542/
A new statistical framework (RobustPALMRT) detected immune differences between long COVID patients and controls that previous methods missed due to highly skewed biological data in immunological analysis.
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41641915/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41641915/
February 5, 2026 at 11:05 PM
A new statistical framework (RobustPALMRT) detected immune differences between long COVID patients and controls that previous methods missed due to highly skewed biological data in immunological analysis.
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41641915/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41641915/
AI offers substantial potential for long COVID care across multiple organ systems, according to narrative review of 69 studies. Review highlights AI's role in addressing LC challenges while noting concerns about data privacy and algorithmic bias in...
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41638903/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41638903/
February 5, 2026 at 3:47 PM
AI offers substantial potential for long COVID care across multiple organ systems, according to narrative review of 69 studies. Review highlights AI's role in addressing LC challenges while noting concerns about data privacy and algorithmic bias in...
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41638903/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41638903/
Long COVID risks were modest across all variants in highly boosted Asian population. Only memory problems and Alzheimer's increased across all eras; loss of smell/taste only in Delta. Boosters further reduced risks in national cohort study. (n=4,712,066)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41639746/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41639746/
February 5, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Long COVID risks were modest across all variants in highly boosted Asian population. Only memory problems and Alzheimer's increased across all eras; loss of smell/taste only in Delta. Boosters further reduced risks in national cohort study. (n=4,712,066)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41639746/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41639746/
People with HIV had 29% higher long COVID risk vs those without HIV, with nervous system disorders showing highest risk (2x higher), followed by mental health (78% higher) and respiratory issues (78% higher) in South Carolina obs study. (n=838,520)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41636553/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41636553/
February 4, 2026 at 11:25 PM
People with HIV had 29% higher long COVID risk vs those without HIV, with nervous system disorders showing highest risk (2x higher), followed by mental health (78% higher) and respiratory issues (78% higher) in South Carolina obs study. (n=838,520)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41636553/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41636553/
NASEM criteria identified 48% of COVID patients with long COVID vs 26% with PASC index at 12 months. NASEM captured nearly all PASC-positive cases (92%) but with broader threshold in Korean cohort. (n=183)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41633328/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41633328/
February 4, 2026 at 3:24 PM
NASEM criteria identified 48% of COVID patients with long COVID vs 26% with PASC index at 12 months. NASEM captured nearly all PASC-positive cases (92%) but with broader threshold in Korean cohort. (n=183)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41633328/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41633328/
Menstrual abnormalities affected 23% of women after COVID vs 10% before, a 2.2-fold increase. Prior menstrual problems raised risk 40x. Multiple vaccines (>3 doses) and repeat infections also linked to higher risk in women obs study. (n=87)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627925/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627925/
February 4, 2026 at 12:03 AM
Menstrual abnormalities affected 23% of women after COVID vs 10% before, a 2.2-fold increase. Prior menstrual problems raised risk 40x. Multiple vaccines (>3 doses) and repeat infections also linked to higher risk in women obs study. (n=87)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627925/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627925/
Fatigue was 60% more common in people with prior COVID vs never-infected (12.8% vs 8.9%), concentration problems 2.2x higher (5.5% vs 2.4%), and skin rashes 90% more common (4.5% vs 2.4%) in Tuscany population obs study. (n=1,753)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41628929/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41628929/
February 3, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Fatigue was 60% more common in people with prior COVID vs never-infected (12.8% vs 8.9%), concentration problems 2.2x higher (5.5% vs 2.4%), and skin rashes 90% more common (4.5% vs 2.4%) in Tuscany population obs study. (n=1,753)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41628929/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41628929/
Activity tracking app with energy management alerts showed no significant improvement in post-exertional malaise vs standard care in long COVID patients in UK RCT. (n=161)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41629267/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41629267/
February 3, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Activity tracking app with energy management alerts showed no significant improvement in post-exertional malaise vs standard care in long COVID patients in UK RCT. (n=161)
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41629267/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41629267/
NET biomarkers (immune cell traps) were comprehensively analyzed in COVID-19 and long COVID patients in analysis.
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627524/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627524/
February 2, 2026 at 11:13 PM
NET biomarkers (immune cell traps) were comprehensively analyzed in COVID-19 and long COVID patients in analysis.
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627524/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41627524/
Income inequalities created healthcare access barriers for long COVID patients despite Austria's universal system. Lower-income patients faced more GP barriers including not being taken seriously, symptom dismissal, and cost burdens in Austrian obs...
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41503716/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41503716/
February 2, 2026 at 10:52 PM
Income inequalities created healthcare access barriers for long COVID patients despite Austria's universal system. Lower-income patients faced more GP barriers including not being taken seriously, symptom dismissal, and cost burdens in Austrian obs...
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41503716/
📄 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41503716/