ME/CFS Science @mecfsscience.org · Jun 20 1) A PET study from the Mayo Clinic found hypometabolism, particularly in the occipital lobe (at the back of the head), in 40 Long COVID patients. Unfortunately, there were no direct control participants. Values were compared to age- and gender-matched data from a database.
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2) The study uses a radioactive tracer, fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), that allows it to measure glucose metabolism in the brain as a proxy for neural activity. Less radioactive signal suggests less brain activity.
The Mayo Clinic identified hypometabolism in the occipital lobe. Although the study did not include a control group, these findings can be compared with 7T neuroimaging results reported in patients with ME, where similar patterns of cerebral hypometabolism have been observed.