Acute inflammation and fronto-striatal connectivity in the transition from acute to persistent fatigue after mild COVID-19: A longitudinal fMRI study

Brain Behavior & Immunity - Health 2026 Open access

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Authors: Qiange Zhu, Tao Lu, Huijie Yuan, Ya’nan Zhu, Pang Du, Haiyang Liu, Baoqi Wang, Tonghui Liu, Bo Wang, Yi Chen, Hui Ma, Jiayi Liu
+3 more Yang Wang, Ming Zhang, Xuan Niu
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2026.101196
Cited by: 0
References: 59

Abstract

Background: Persistent fatigue is one of the most common and disabling sequelae of COVID-19, yet its neurobiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. Emerging evidence implicates systemic inflammation and fronto-striatal dysfunction in fatigue across diverse clinical conditions. However, the links between early inflammatory responses, brain connectivity, and the acute-to-chronic trajectory of post-COVID fatigue are unclear. Methods: In a multi-center longitudinal cohort of 193 young-to-middle-aged adults with mild COVID-19, we assessed acute-phase C-reactive protein (CRP), fatigue severity (FAS) at

Fields of Study & Subjects

Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 Traumatic Brain Injury Research Functional Brain Connectivity Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
Brain Behavior & Immunity - Health
Volume
53
Pages
101196–101196
Publication date
9 February 2026
Language
EN