Hidden Connection Discovered: New Research Links Brain Inflammation to Muscle Fatigue

A study reveals that brain inflammation leads to the release of a protein that impairs muscle function, suggesting potential treatments for related muscle fatigue in diseases like Alzheimer’s and long COVID.

Infections and neurodegenerative diseases are known to cause brain inflammation. However, patients with brain inflammation often develop muscle problems that are seemingly independent of the central nervous system.

Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that brain inflammation releases a specific protein that travels from the brain to the muscles, causing a decline in muscle function. The study, conducted with fruit flies and mice, has also identified ways to block this process. This could have significant implications for treating or preventing the muscle wasting often seen in inflammatory diseases such as bacterial infections, Alzheimer’s disease, and long COVID.