New Research on Long Covid as Neuroplastic Symptom

Once you begin looking for psychosocial causes of pain or illness (Neuroplastic Symptoms) in patients, you find it repeatedly. The same is true for research scientists.

A study from the University of Michigan looked at the electronic health records of over 2 million people in three groups: people with Covid, people with influenza, and people with no infection during a routine health appointment. They determined which of these people had a “chronic overlapping pain condition” (COPC) causing widespread pain often associated with fatigue or problems with sleep, memory, or mood. Next, they assessed whether having a COPC predicted a person’s subsequent development of Long Covid.

The results showed a striking 50% increased risk for Long Covid in people with a previous COPC compared to people without a COPC. This was observed in all three groups as you can see in the graph.

The authors’ concluded that these results reinforce the likelihood that a neuroplastic process plays a key role in Long Covid. Recognizing this will help avoid the pitfall of viewing Long Covid as exclusively a postinfectious disease.

Ref: Bergmans RS, Clauw DJ, et. al. (2024). Chronic overlapping pain conditions increase the risk of long COVID features, regardless of acute COVID status. PAIN, 2024, 165:1112-1120. DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003110