Al Masoodi, Wasim Talib Mahdi, Radhi, Sami Waheed, Abdalsada, Habiba Khdair et al. · PloS one · 2025 · DOI
This study looked at 90 people, some with Long COVID and some without, to understand why Long COVID patients develop depression, anxiety, and chronic fatigue. Researchers measured several substances in the blood related to inflammation and metabolism. They found that people with Long COVID had higher levels of inflammatory markers and abnormal insulin function, and these changes were linked to their mood and fatigue symptoms.
This research identifies specific biological pathways—particularly galanin signaling and inflammatory markers—that may underlie the mood and fatigue symptoms many Long COVID patients experience. Understanding these mechanisms could help explain why ME/CFS-like symptoms persist after COVID-19 and may guide development of targeted treatments.
This study is cross-sectional and does not establish causation—elevated biomarkers correlate with symptoms but may not directly cause them. The study cannot prove whether these biomarkers are permanent features or whether they change over longer time periods, and findings at 3-6 months post-infection may not apply to earlier or later stages of Long COVID. The study also does not assess functional impairment or post-exertional malaise, key ME/CFS diagnostic features.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Al Masoodi, Wasim Talib Mahdi, Radhi, Sami Waheed, Abdalsada, Habiba Khdair, Niu, Mengqi, Al-Hakeim, Hussein Kadhem, & Maes, Michael (2025). Increased galanin-galanin receptor 1 signaling, inflammation, and insulin resistance are associated with affective symptoms and chronic fatigue syndrome due to long COVID.. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0316373
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-al-masoodi-2025-increased-galanin,
author = {Al Masoodi, Wasim Talib Mahdi and Radhi, Sami Waheed and Abdalsada, Habiba Khdair and Niu, Mengqi and Al-Hakeim, Hussein Kadhem and Maes, Michael},
title = {Increased galanin-galanin receptor 1 signaling, inflammation, and insulin resistance are associated with affective symptoms and chronic fatigue syndrome due to long COVID.},
journal = {PloS one},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0316373},
note = {PubMed: 40048451},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/al-masoodi-2025-increased-galanin},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/al-masoodi-2025-increased-galanin
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