Versace, Viviana, Tankisi, Hatice · Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2023 · DOI
This editorial discusses potential nerve-based tests that might help identify and distinguish Long-COVID and ME/CFS—two conditions that share similar exhaustion and brain symptoms but are still poorly understood. The authors review existing neurophysiological tools (tests that measure nerve and muscle function) that could potentially serve as objective biomarkers to help doctors diagnose these conditions more reliably. They highlight the need for further research to validate these tests and better understand what's happening in patients' nervous systems.
Many ME/CFS patients struggle to receive diagnosis because no objective tests currently exist; this editorial highlights how neurophysiological measures could eventually provide objective evidence of disease. Distinguishing Long-COVID from ME/CFS and identifying underlying mechanisms through nerve-based tests could lead to better treatments and validate patients' experiences of real biological dysfunction. As more research develops these biomarkers, patients may access faster, more accurate diagnoses.
As an editorial rather than original research, this paper does not present new data proving that any specific neurophysiological test is a reliable biomarker for ME/CFS or Long-COVID. It does not establish that these biomarkers can be used clinically today, nor does it demonstrate clear mechanistic pathways—it reviews existing evidence and identifies research gaps. The editorial cannot prove causation or determine whether neurophysiological abnormalities are primary drivers of illness or secondary consequences.
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