# Imaging neurovascular physiology in persistent fatigue after COVID-19

> **NIH NIH R21** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) · 2021 · $468,750

## Abstract

Project Abstract
 After the initial stages of COVID-19, a substantial proportion of patients are left with long-lasting
cognitive symptoms that they continue to report months later, sometimes referred to as ‘long-haul’ patients.
These long-lasting cognitive disruptions can occur even in patients with only moderate initial illness. The most
commonly reported symptom is persistent fatigue, which significantly impairs daily function and quality of life.
While fatigue in a subset of patients is explained by lasting cardiovascular or lung damage, many patients with
no systemic issues present severe fatigue, suggesting an illness of neural origin. However, the neural basis of
post-COVID fatigue is not yet known. With millions of COVID-19 cases to date, hundreds of thousands of
people are expected to suffer from persistent fatigue, and identifying the neurophysiological factors underlying
post-COVID fatigue is critical in order to develop an understanding of this condition and identify potential
treatment routes. Given the prevalence and major impact of these symptoms on daily function in these long-
haul patients, we aim to investigate the neural basis of post-COVID fatigue. We will use high spatial resolution
7T fMRI to test whether patients with persistent fatigue after COVID-19 exhibit neurovascular functional
disruption. We will examine both whether spatially diffuse neurovascular impairment occurs, or focal disruption
specific to subcortical arousal regulatory circuits. This project will provide a unique, high-resolution, and
comprehensive assessment of neurovascular physiology in patients experiencing persistent fatigue after
COVID-19.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10288950
- **Project number:** 1R21NS123412-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS)
- **Principal Investigator:** Laura Diane Lewis
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $468,750
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-07-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10288950

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10288950, Imaging neurovascular physiology in persistent fatigue after COVID-19 (1R21NS123412-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10288950. Licensed CC0.

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