Today, the first participant took part in the NMCB MRI study. This marks an important milestone in research into the brains of people with ME/CFS and post-acute infection syndromes (PAIS), including post-COVID.
Using advanced MRI scans, we measure the brain’s microstructure, blood flow, metabolites, and network activity. The first MRI examination was carried out at the Donders Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging at Radboud University in Nijmegen. Later this year, MRI scanning will also begin at Amsterdam UMC and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC).
The data collected will be analysed in several research projects within the ZonMw ME/CFS Research Programme. One of these projects is led by Dr Marieke van der Schaaf, whose research team is investigating how changes in the brain are related to difficulties with concentration, memory, and clear thinking in people with ME/CFS and PAIS.
Why this research project?
Many people with ME/CFS and PAIS experience difficulties with concentration, memory, and clear thinking. Some find it difficult to follow conversations, notice that they forget things more easily, or experience a marked slowing of their thinking. These symptoms are often referred to as brain fog.
These cognitive problems can have a major impact on everyday life. However, we still do not fully understand what causes them.
What are we investigating?
As part of this study, participants undergo MRI scans of the brain. They also complete questionnaires about the extent to which they experience difficulties with concentration, memory, and clear thinking. In addition, participants perform a number of short cognitive tests and provide a blood sample.
The researchers investigate how changes in the brain are related to changes in cognitive functioning. They also examine whether these brain changes are associated with alterations in blood markers related to the immune system and energy metabolism.
By combining these different types of information, we hope to gain a better understanding of what is happening in both the body and the brain of people living with ME/CFS and PAIS.
What do the MRI scans measure?
MRI allows us to obtain highly detailed images of the brain. We use advanced imaging techniques to examine several aspects of brain health, including:
- blood supply to and blood flow within the brain;
- the integrity of the brain’s white matter tracts—the connections that enable communication between different brain cells;
- iron accumulation in the brain and the size of different brain regions;
- the presence of specific substances (metabolites) in the brain. These measurements provide information about how well brain cells are functioning and whether there are indications of inflammatory activity in the brain;
- the activity of brain networks.
Together, these measurements will help us identify the changes that occur in the brains of people with ME/CFS and PAIS.
Why is this important?
The cognitive problems experienced by people with ME/CFS and PAIS are not always detected by the tests currently used in clinical practice. Researchers believe that the underlying brain changes are often subtle and therefore difficult to detect. They may be related to how the brain uses energy, to cerebral blood flow, or to the way different brain regions communicate with one another.
By combining brain imaging, blood analyses, and cognitive testing, researchers hope to make these changes more visible. This knowledge may improve the recognition and measurement of cognitive symptoms, increase our understanding of these illnesses, and ultimately contribute to the development of new treatments.
Would you like to participate?
The MRI study is part of the Dutch ME/CFS Cohort and Biobank (NMCB).
When you register for the NMCB study, you will be asked whether you are interested in participating in the MRI study as well.
If you indicate that you are interested, you will receive more information about the MRI study. You can then take your time to decide whether you would like to participate. Participation in the MRI study is entirely voluntary.
Would you like to learn more about this research project? Read more about the project “Understanding Brain Changes Associated with Cognitive Problems in ME/CFS” or view the MRI study information brochure.