This month’s Research Digest explores several practical and important aspects of living with ME/CFS. New research examines the potential role of handgrip strength testing in assessing physical impairment in children and young people, and the experiences of people using heart rate monitors to support pacing and manage post-exertional malaise (PEM). We also feature a large

This month’s Research Digest highlights several emerging areas of ME/CFS research, spanning cognition, sensory processing and vascular biology. New studies explore whether virtual reality-based reaction time testing may offer an objective way to assess cognitive fatigue, while EEG research suggests that sensory difficulties in ME/CFS may relate more to higher-order brain processing than to early

This month’s Research Digest highlights new research and developments across ME/CFS and long COVID. Studies explore widespread changes in circulating proteins in ME/CFS, links between gastrointestinal symptoms, inflammation and core disease features, and how post-exertional malaise (PEM) affects quality of life in long COVID. We also share two important Australian developments: the expansion of the

This month’s Research Digest highlights the importance of carefully measuring the lived and biological complexity of ME/CFS. The featured studies examine how post-exertional malaise, sleep disturbance and cellular energy pathways are investigated, while also showing that standard measures do not always capture the full experience of illness. Together, these articles point to the need for

In this 129th edition of the Research Digest, we highlight emerging research that continues to deepen understanding of ME/CFS and long COVID as complex, multisystem conditions. This month’s articles explore the potential role of the gut microbiome in immune, inflammatory and neurological symptoms, as well as altered brain connectivity linked to cognitive fatigue and brain

For the 128th edition of the Research Digest, we highlight research that continues to strengthen understanding of ME/CFS as a complex, multisystem condition, with studies exploring water regulation, immune function, metabolism, hormones, the gut microbiome and vascular pathways. This month’s edition also draws attention to severe ME/CFS and the risks that arise when the illness

This month’s Research Digest (#127) highlights Australian-led research advancing our understanding of ME/CFS across quality of life and biology. A longitudinal study shows a persistent and substantial illness burden, with little change in symptoms or functioning over time and ongoing challenges accessing support. Complementary multi-omics and genetic studies point to disruptions in energy metabolism, immune

The 126th edition of the Research Digest brings together clinical, biological, and lived-experience perspectives to strengthen our understanding of long COVID and its overlap with ME/CFS. The featured studies explore emerging diagnostic tools, long-term immune responses, and important biological differences between males and females, highlighting both progress and ongoing gaps. These insights are helping refine how

Welcome to the 125th edition of the Research Digest. This month’s collection reflects the continued strengthening of the evidence base across ME/CFS and related conditions, spanning biological mechanisms, lived experience, and illness trajectories. Together, the featured work reinforces the complex, multisystem nature of ME/CFS, the significant impacts on those most severely affected, and the growing

This month’s Research Digest highlights the breadth of ME/CFS research, spanning biological mechanisms, clinical assessment, diagnostic inequities, and care for people with severe illness. The featured studies examine potential biomarkers of illness severity, the impact of autonomic dysfunction, disparities in diagnosis, and outcomes from specialised care. Together, these findings reinforce ME/CFS as a complex, multi-system condition and

The 123rd edition of the Research Digest highlights advances across theory, care, treatment and biology in long COVID and ME/CFS. A new model suggests that chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation and autonomic imbalance together underpin the complexity of Long COVID. A qualitative study reveals that incorporating lived-experience experts can enhance clinicians’ understanding of PAIS and enhance

Welcome to the 122nd edition of the Research Digest. This month’s studies continue to advance understanding of ME/CFS, highlighting biological differences between post-infectious and gradual-onset ME/CFS, uncovering new insights into how extracellular vesicles may drive post-exertional malaise (PEM), and exploring brain metabolism changes following exercise. We also feature a large international survey on patient-reported treatment outcomes