Scientists uncover shared biology behind profound fatigue in five major illnesses
Researchers have identified a shared biological mechanism underlying chronic fatigue across five distinct conditions, including long COVID and PTSD. This discovery suggests that these illnesses, previously viewed as unrelated, may share a common physiological root.
Why it matters
This finding could lead to unified diagnostic tools and treatments for millions of patients suffering from debilitating, long-term fatigue symptoms.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A shared biological mechanism that helps explain chronic exhaustion in conditions including long COVID and PTSD has been identified by researchers at the University of East Anglia and Oxford BioDynamics. The paper, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine, reveals striking biological similarities among five major illnesses that until now have largely been viewed as separate disorders.
The findings suggest that chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as ME), long COVID, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis (MS) may be driven by common underlying mechanisms.
This is despite the conditions being triggered by different events—from viral infections to psychological trauma or autoimmune responses.
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