Abstract:
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex disorder characterized by heterogeneous symptoms, which lack specific biomarkers for its diagnosis. This study aimed to investigate plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels as a potential biomarker for ME/CFS and explore associations with cognitive, autonomic, and neuropathic symptoms.
Here, 67 ME/CFS patients and 43 healthy controls (HCs) underwent comprehensive assessments, including neuropsychological evaluation, autonomic nervous system (ANS) testing, and plasma NfL level analysis. ME/CFS patients exhibited significantly higher plasma NfL levels compared to HC (F = 4.30, p < 0.05). Correlations were observed between NfL levels and cognitive impairment, particularly in visuospatial perception (r = -0.42; p ≤ 0.001), verbal memory (r = -0.35, p ≤ 0.005), and visual memory (r = -0.26; p < 0.05) in ME/CFS. Additionally, higher NfL levels were associated with worsened autonomic dysfunction in these patients, specifically in parasympathetic function (F = 9.48, p ≤ 0.003).
In ME/CFS patients, NfL levels explained up to 17.2% of the results in cognitive tests. Unlike ME/CFS, in HC, NfL levels did not predict cognitive performance. Elevated plasma NfL levels in ME/CFS patients reflect neuroaxonal damage, contributing to cognitive dysfunction and autonomic impairment.
These findings support the potential role of NfL as a biomarker for neurological dysfunction in ME/CFS. Further research is warranted to elucidate underlying mechanisms and clinical implications.
Source: Azcue N, Tijero-Merino B, Acera M, Pérez-Garay R, Fernández-Valle T, Ayo-Mentxakatorre N, Ruiz-López M, Lafuente JV, Gómez Esteban JC, Del Pino R. Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain: A Potential Biomarker for Neurological Dysfunction in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Biomedicines. 2024 Jul 11;12(7):1539. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12071539. PMID: 39062112; PMCID: PMC11274366. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11274366/ (Full text)