Post-Spike syndrome (Long Haul Covid and Post-Vaccine Syndrome) continues to affect an estimated 65 million people worldwide in 2026. Recent research suggest Post-Spike Syndrome is best understood as a collection of distinct symptom clusters rather than a single condition. However, 4 years into treating this complex, idiosyncratic disease leaves us unsatisfied with this explanation. This comprehensive guide breaks down the latest research on symptom patterns, underlying mechanisms, and what these patterns suggest about treatment. Furthermore, we will put our lens over this research, and give our clinical takeaways on evidence-based treatment approaches that we have refined through our 4 years of treatment experience.

What You’ll Learn in This Guide

• The five major symptom clusters of Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome
• How symptoms vary by variant, demographics, and health factors
• The latest research on underlying mechanisms
• Conventional treatment approaches for each symptom cluster, versus our integrative approach
• How to access specialized care

 

Understanding Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome as Symptom Clusters

A 2026 systematic review analyzing 64 studies across 20 countries involving 2.4 million patients made assertions that could change how Post-Spike Syndrome is understood. Rather than viewing it as a single post-viral syndrome, researchers are recognizing it as a collection of overlapping symptom patterns, believing each require different treatment strategies.

This has profound implications for treatment. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, patients benefit from personalized protocols targeting their specific symptom cluster or combination of clusters. 

There are aspects of this research we agree with, and aspects we are vehemently opposed to. For instance, these idiosyncratic conditions definitely require personalized treatment strategies. Patients indeed present differently, and sometimes those presentations can be grouped into clusters. 

However, treating based on symptom clusters falls into the same broken, reactionary model utilized by the conventional medical system. Treat the symptoms, not the root cause issues. Working in silos such as cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, etc… prevents conventional medicine from tying together disease processes in complex, chronic conditions.

Nevertheless, we will review the what the research says about the five major symptom clusters.

The Five Major Symptom Clusters (According To The Research)

1. Fatigue and Post-Exertional Malaise (Most Common)

Prevalence: Identified as the most frequent symptom cluster across studies, affecting the majority of Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome patients

Key Symptoms:

• Persistent exhaustion not relieved by rest
• Post-exertional malaise (PEM) – worsening symptoms after physical or mental exertion
• Muscle pain and weakness
• Sleep disturbances despite being exhausted

Underlying Mechanisms:

• Mitochondrial dysfunction affecting cellular energy production
• Impaired oxygen utilization at the cellular level
• Dysregulated immune activation requiring excessive energy

Treatment Approaches: These researchers suggest energy conservation techniques (pacing), mitochondrial support supplementation (CoQ10, NAD+ precursors), gradual reconditioning protocols, and addressing underlying inflammation.

2. Respiratory Symptoms

Prevalence: 47% of Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome patients in organ system-based classification studies

Key Symptoms:

• Persistent shortness of breath
• Chest tightness or pain
• Chronic cough
• Reduced exercise tolerance

Underlying Mechanisms:

• Persistent lung inflammation and fibrosis
• Microvascular dysfunction in pulmonary tissue
• Autonomic dysregulation affecting breathing control

Treatment Approaches: These researchers suggest breathing exercises, pulmonary rehabilitation, anti-inflammatory interventions, management of microvascular issues, and treatment of any dysautonomia component.

3. Neurological and Cognitive Symptoms

Prevalence: 31% of patients in organ system classification; often overlaps with fatigue cluster

Key Symptoms:

• Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
• Memory problems
• Headaches
• Dizziness and balance issues
• Peripheral neuropathy (tingling, numbness)

Underlying Mechanisms:

• Neuroinflammation and microglial activation
• Microvascular damage affecting brain blood flow
• Small fiber neuropathy
• Potential elevation of Alzheimer’s-linked proteins (recent 2026 finding)

Treatment Approaches: These researchers suggest neuroinflammation reduction protocols, cognitive rehabilitation, medications for neuropathic pain, vascular health optimization, and neuroprotective supplementation.

4. Cardiopulmonary Symptoms

Key Symptoms:

• Rapid or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Palpitations
• Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) symptoms

Underlying Mechanisms:

• Autonomic nervous system dysfunction
• Cardiac inflammation
• Endothelial dysfunction
• Blood volume dysregulation

Risk Factors: High BMI, pre-existing conditions like COPD significantly increase risk of cardiopulmonary symptom clusters.

Treatment Approaches: These researchers suggest POTS protocols (increased fluid and salt intake, compression garments), beta blockers when appropriate, physical reconditioning with careful monitoring, and addressing autonomic dysfunction.

5. Olfactory and Gustatory Symptoms

Key Symptoms:

• Loss of smell (anosmia)
• Loss of taste (ageusia)
• Distorted smell (parosmia)
• Phantom smells

Variant Association: The Alpha variant was strongly associated with olfactory symptoms, while Delta increased ENT-related symptoms.

Treatment Approaches: These researchers suggeset olfactory training (smell therapy), alpha-lipoic acid supplementation, zinc supplementation, and in some cases, topical or systemic corticosteroids.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms (28% of Patients)

While not always classified as a primary cluster, gastrointestinal symptoms affect approximately 28% of Long COVID patients and include nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and changes in bowel habits.

Treatment Approaches: Gut microbiome restoration, anti-inflammatory dietary modifications, addressing gut-brain axis dysfunction, and targeted probiotic therapy.

The Biological Mechanisms Behind Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome

Understanding the underlying mechanisms driving Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome has been a major focus of research in 2025-2026. However, we will again reiterate that renegade researchers and treating clinicians have long understood these mechanisms – we just did not wait for the mainstream research apparatus to catch up in order to help patients. Current evidence points to multiple interconnected pathways:

1. Chronic Inflammation

January 2026 research published in Nature Immunology demonstrated that Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome patients have sustained upregulation of chronic inflammatory pathways compared with people who recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Key inflammatory markers include:

• Elevated Interleukin-6 (IL-6) – consistently found in Long COVID patients
• Elevated IL-1β and TNF-α
• Persistent immune activation

These inflammatory markers contribute to the wide range of symptoms across multiple organ systems and represent important therapeutic targets.

2. Microclots and Vascular Dysfunction

One of the most significant discoveries in Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome research has been the identification of microclots – tiny blood clots caused by interactions between the viral spike protein and fibrinogen. These microclots:

• Impair tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery
• Contribute to brain fog, fatigue, and shortness of breath
• Are often associated with neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)
• Cause blood vessel dysfunction

This mechanism helps explain why anticoagulation strategies and vascular health optimization can be beneficial for some patients.

3. Viral and/or Spike Protein Persistence

Scientists have found protein fragments from the COVID-19 virus and vaccine hidden inside tiny cellular packages in the blood of Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome patients. This lingering viral material may continue triggering immune responses and inflammation long after the acute infection has resolved.

4. Autoimmunity

The immune system can develop antibodies that mistakenly attack the body’s own tissues. Back in 2021, we talked about this possibility due to molecular mimicry of the spike protein. Today, the research apparatus has identified various autoantibodies in Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome patients that may target receptors involved in autonomic function, potentially explaining symptoms like POTS and dysautonomia.

5. Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Impaired mitochondrial function disrupts cellular energy production, directly contributing to the profound fatigue experienced by many Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome patients. This metabolic dysfunction can affect virtually every organ system.

6. Gut Microbiome Disruption

Spike protein can significantly alter the gut microbiome, with disruptions persisting long after acute illness. These changes can contribute to gastrointestinal symptoms, immune dysregulation, and systemic inflammation through the gut-brain axis.

Factors That Influence Your Symptom Pattern

Research has identified several key factors that influence which symptom clusters you may experience:

Viral Variants

• Alpha variant: Strongly associated with olfactory and respiratory symptoms
• Delta variant: Increased risk of ENT-related symptoms
• Omicron variants: Currently circulating in 2026, with varying symptom profiles (we will remind you that Omicron variant has no direct lineage from prior variants…)

Pre-existing Health Conditions

• High BMI: Significantly associated with cardiopulmonary symptom clusters
• Latent Viruses: Immune dysregulation can cause latent viruses (ie: EBV, Lymes, HPV, Herpes-Zoster, etc…) to reactivate
• Multiple comorbidities: Associated with higher symptom burden

Demographics

• Age: Different symptom profiles across age groups
• Gender: More women are reported to suffer from Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome; however, this can be due to behavioral circumstances (women seek out healthcare at higher rates than men to deal with symptoms experienced)
• Severity of acute illness, and number of vaccines: More severe initial COVID-19 can increase Long COVID risk; repeated Covid boosters can increase Post-Vaccine Syndroem risk

 

Treatment Approaches for 2026

At Leading Edge Clinic, we have been treating Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome patients since 2022. While we pay attention to the research outlined above, our clinical experience leads us to believe grouping patients into clusters, and treating only based on symptoms is detrimental to outcomes.

As stated earlier, the conventional model that trains specialists to look only at their specific body system, ignores disease processes that are consistent among complex conditions. Therefore, while we do approach every patient as an individual, and look to provide relief from symptom clusters, our long term goal is to implement integrative care plans that take into account the entire body and its healing.

Where Do We Agree?

Mechanisms: mainstream research has finally caught up to underlying spike protein injury mechanisms, such as endothelial dysfunction/damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, autoimmunity, microclotting, spike persistence, and inflammation pathways.

Some Treatment Strategies: there are some universally agreed upon treatment strategies, such as…

• Pacing strategies
• Targeting inflammatory pathways (though how we do that may differ from conventional perspectives)
• Anticoagulation strategies (again, how we do this may differ, as conventional perspectives do not take things like biophysics and zeta potential into account),
• Medications for specific symptoms (for us, not a long-term solution, but a means to reduce suffering and improve quality of life)
• Nutraceutical support (again, we may differ in which nutraceuticals we believe are best)

Where We Diverge:

• Targeting treatment based on specific symptom clusters; doing so dooms patients to only receiving care that responds to symptoms, and not addressing underlying root cause issues (for example, viewing microvascular damage as specific to neurological or cardiac cluster patients ignores that spike-induced endothelial damage is widespread and systemic)
• Waiting on continued research and drug development to treat patients now; we have available treatments that address underlying, systemic, physiological processes of spike-induced illness (ie: Low-Dose Naltrexone reduces IL-6 production in the liver, but is only considered “experimental” despite research acknowledgment that patients deal with high IL-6 markers; Pycnogenol and/or Sulodexide for endothelial damage; DMSO as a means to re-fold misfolded proteins, help with blood flow, help with fibrotic changes, etc…; Low-Dose Ketamine as a means to rebuild damaged myelin and neuronal connections)
• Utilizing patented, high risk profile medications to address pathophysiological mechansism (ie: Paxlovid is being studied for viral persistence, but there are other more effective, cheaper, and safer antiviral options); we utilize therapies with good safety profiles, are affordable, and have demonstrated results in our patients

Examples Of Pharmaceutical Interventions In Mainstream Research

Metformin: Ongoing RECOVER studies are evaluating whether metformin can reduce the risk of Long COVID and ME/CFS. Early data suggests potential benefits.

Paxlovid: RECOVER research is examining whether taking Paxlovid during acute COVID-19 can help prevent Long COVID development.

Anti-inflammatory medications: Based on findings of elevated IL-6 and chronic inflammation, targeted anti-inflammatory approaches show promise.

Anticoagulation strategies: For patients with evidence of microclotting, carefully monitored anticoagulation may help improve tissue perfusion.

Medications for specific symptoms: Beta blockers for POTS, medications for neuropathic pain, sleep aids when appropriate.

Nutritional and Supplementation Protocols

• Mitochondrial support: CoQ10, NAD+ precursors (like nicotinamide riboside), alpha-lipoic acid
• Anti-inflammatory support: Omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, resveratrol
• Antioxidant support: Vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione precursors
• Immune modulation: Vitamin D, zinc, quercetin
• Gut health: Targeted probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes
• Neurological support: B-vitamins, magnesium, lion’s mane mushroom

Therapies Considered Experimental and Emerging 

Conventional medicine does not yet consider several therapies with proven resuls as standard of care. These include, but are not limited to, low-dose naltrexone (LDN), stellate ganglion block for autonomic dysfunction, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and therapeutic plasma exchange in select cases. We do not condone all of these treatments. For example, SGB has only provided temporary results to our patients. Sometimes, it has made them worse. HBOT can be effective, but needs to be initiated carefully and in the right context. LDN is a low-risk drug with a high percentage of patients reporting some levels of improvement.

Lifestyle Modifications

• Energy envelope management: Staying within your energy limits to avoid PEM crashes
• Sleep hygiene: Prioritizing restorative sleep
• Anti-inflammatory diet: No one-size-fits-all here
• Stress management: Meditation, gentle yoga, breathing exercises; some of these may be too much for some patients
• Hydration and electrolytes: The body is electric, and needs water to conduct the electricity in a coherent manner

Mental Health and Long COVID

Research confirms that Long COVID is linked to higher prevalence of anxiety and depression. This relationship is bidirectional – Long COVID can contribute to mental health challenges, and mental health symptoms can worsen Long COVID experiences.

Comprehensive Long COVID care must address both physical and mental health. This includes psychological support, treatment of anxiety and depression when present, validation of symptoms (which are biologically based, not psychological in origin), and connection with support communities.

The Importance of Personalized Treatment

The hypotheses we have seen generated in conventional medicine on the 2026 research emphasizing symptom clusters, include discussions around presenting primarily personalized treatment approaches towards symptom clusters.

At Leading Edge Clinic, we conduct comprehensive assessments. Only one part of this is to identify specific symptom cluster or combination of clusters, then develop targeted treatment protocols to reduce suffering in the short-term. However, we must also target underlying disease processes and recognize the interconnected nature of the body. We do this a number of ways. An example would be addressing biophysical changes in complex patients, such as reduced physiological zeta potential.

When to Seek Specialized Care

You should consider specialized Long COVID care if you experience:

• Symptoms persisting more than 3 months after COVID-19 infection
• Significant impact on your ability to work or perform daily activities
• Multiple symptom clusters affecting different body systems
• Post-exertional malaise that limits your activity
• Symptoms that haven’t improved with standard primary care approaches (although we don’t think you should wait; find someone who understsands these things now, instead of spinning your wheels)
• Worsening symptoms over time

Early, specialized intervention often leads to better outcomes. The longer symptoms persist without appropriate treatment, the more difficult recovery can become.

What the Future Holds: 2026 and Beyond

In the realm of the lagging research apparatus, NIH RECOVER initiative provides quarterly data releases with ongoing insights. Key areas of investigation include:

• Developing measurable biomarkers for Long COVID diagnosis
• Clinical trials of metformin and other preventive strategies
• Understanding Long COVID in children and early childhood
• Evaluating potential treatments targeting underlying mechanisms

While we have no problem with any of this research, we just do not trust it will happen at a fast enough pace to help suffering patients. Additionally, we are concerned the outcomes will favor expensive patented interventions. One thing we continue to look into as a practice is overseas experimental biomarker testing. In 2025, we explore Urine Spike Testing with a group out of Italy. In 2026, we continue discussions with the team at Vedicinals more direct measures of spike protein burdens.

As research progresses with these private groups, such as Vedicinals, we’re moving toward more precise diagnostic tools and more effective, targeted treatments for spike reduction.

Leading Edge Clinic’s Approach to Long COVID Care

Since 2022, Leading Edge Clinic has specialized in treating Long Haul COVID and related post-viral syndromes. Our comprehensive approach includes:

• Detailed symptom assessment: We identify your specific pattern of symptoms and underlying mechanisms
• Personalized treatment protocols: Tailored to your specific terrain and history
• Evidence-based interventions: Combining the latest research with proven clinical approaches through our 4 years of experience
• Ongoing monitoring and adjustment: Treatment plans evolve as your symptoms change and new research emerges
• Proactive care: Our care model involves frequent, proactive followup to support patients in their journey
• Telehealth accessibility: Convenient access to specialized care from home

Our team stays current with emerging research, and meets regularly with national experts, to continuously refine our treatment approaches. We treat each patient as an individual, recognizing that Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome manifests differently in each person.

Conclusion: Hope Through Understanding

The evolution of Long COVID and Post-Vaccine Syndrome research in 2026 represents a validation of the work we have been doing for the last 4 years. By understanding complex disease processes, each with specific underlying mechanisms, we can continue to further refine our approach to care and healing.

Whether you’re dealing with profound fatigue, neurological symptoms, respiratory issues, cardiopulmonary dysfunction, or any combination of these, there are clinically-proven strategies that can help.

While we don’t yet have a universal cure for Long COVID or Post-Vaccine Syndrome, we have better insight than ever before to understand what’s happening in your body and obtain positive results through proven treatments that the mainstream research apparatus has not yet caught up with. With the right expertise and personalized approach, many patients experience significant improvements in their symptoms and quality of life.

Ready to Start Your Recovery Journey?

If you’re struggling with Long COVID or PVS symptoms, Leading Edge Clinic is here to help. Our specialized team has been treating these conditions since 2022 and stays at the forefront of emerging research and treatment approaches.

Contact us today to schedule a comprehensive assessment and develop your personalized treatment plan.

References and Further Reading

Key Research Sources:

• NIH RECOVER Initiative (recovercovid.org) – Ongoing research and quarterly data releases
• Nature Immunology (January 2026) – Chronic inflammation pathways in Long COVID
• eClinicalMedicine systematic review – Long COVID symptom clusters across 2.4 million patients
• ScienceDaily (January 2026) – Microclots and inflammation findings
• Frontiers of Medicine (2025) – Therapeutic approaches and mechanisms

Disclaimer:

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. 

Those suffering from spike protein  Post-Vaccine Syndrome and Long Haul Covid have found their brain to be profoundly impacted, and are seeking answers. Many patients talk of “brain fog”, which might include memory recall issues, word retrieval issues, unclear thinking, and difficulty focusing. However, the symptoms go well beyond brain fog.

In some corners of the internet, you may find discourse between patients dealing with anhedonia, depersonalization/derealization, depression, and anxiety. Additionally, you may even come across conversations about complete personality changes. You may be experiencing these things yourself. On the Side Effects with Dr. Josef podcast, Scott Marsland discusses why so many of the Post-Vaccine Syndrome injuries look like traumatic brain injuries.

Even in the conventional medical system, there is now a significant body of research evidence demonstrating the various mechanisms by which the spike protein induces these brain-injury manifestations. If you peruse mainstream journals like Nature, you will find studies highlighting the ability of the spike protein’s S1 unit to cross the Blood Brain Barrier.

Here is a list of pathophysiological ways spike induces brain injury:

1. Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption – binding to ACE2 receptors on endothelial cells, disrupting tight junctions and increases permeability; activating the RhoA signaling pathway, leading to the disassembly of the endothelial cell cytoskeleton and junction proteins; inducing the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent inducer of vascular permeability.
2. Endothelial Damage – bind directly to fibrinogen, promoting the formation of proinflammatory blood clots (microthrombi) and contributing to systemic thromboinflammation, which can cause microvascular damage in the brain
3. Neuroinflammation – directly activates glial cells (microglia and astrocytes), the brain’s resident immune cells, even without full viral replication in the brain parenchyma, which then release pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially interleukin-1β (IL-1β), which is neurotoxic and leads to bystander neuronal death
4. Accumulation of Neurodegenerative Proteins – induce the aggregation and accumulation of proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases, which are linked to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss
5. Prion Formation – contains “prion-like” domains (PrDs) that can interact with amyloidogenic proteins in the brain, potentially accelerating their misfolding and contributing to neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative diseases

There is no shortage of avenues to attempt to treat the neurological symptoms of those suffering from Long Haul Covid and Post-Vaccine Syndrome. There are adaptogens, anti-inflammatory compounds, immunomodulatory compounds, and methods to support vascular health. A multi-pronged approach is key to addressing multiple pathophysiological mechanisms, as well as clearing the body and brain of spike protein.

When we look at therapeutic interventions, there are a couple things we consider:

1. Efficacy
2. Safety
3. Degree of Impact
4. Ability to address multiple issues at once.

One treatment checks all four boxes, and does so with gusto.

Ketamine was first synthesized in the 1960s as a general anesthetic and approved in 1970, by the FDA. In 2020, Brazilian researchers found a fungus called Pochonia chlamydosporia which produced ketamine naturally and found that it demonstrated potent anti-parasitic efficacy equivalent to Albendazole and Ivermectin.

In 2000 to present day, a number of studies have demonstrated the effect of Ketamine on psychiatric disorders:

• In 2000, psychiatrists at Yale figured out that sub-anesthetic doses of ketamine produced rapid anti-depressant effects. That discovery initiated the practice of using IV ketamine to treat depression
• In 2013, Brazilian researchers discovered that a low dose of sublingual ketamine (10 mg every 2- 7 days) led to full or clear responses in 77% of patients with treatment-resistant unipolar and bipolar depression.
• In this series of hundreds of patients, the patients received six treatments of 300mg rapidly dissolving tablets of ketamine. 48% of patients demonstrated a significant reduction in depression scores after three treatments and after 6 treatments, 72.4% demonstrated improvements in anxiety and depression scores.
• In another case series, 17 patients received 0.5mg/kg or 1mg/kg SLK every 7 or 14 days with 76% (13) of the subjects classified as responders.

Our clinical team is fortunate to have become colleagues with (and students of) two of the most clinically experienced psychiatrists at the leading edge of using Ketamine in clinical practice – Dr. Rachel Wilkenson and Dr. Mitch Leister. They have now been using sublingual low-dose Ketamine in the treatment of numerous mental illness conditions for 5 and 3 years respectively.

In both published and unpublished case reports and series, the results they have achieved in their patients is nothing short of revolutionary. For the first time in their 20 and 40 year careers, they have seen dramatic recoveries in mood disorders, including:

• Major Depressive Disorder
• Treatment-resistant depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Anxiety disorders (GAD, PTSD, OCD, etc.)
• Borderline personality disorder, and many other psychiatric conditions.

Here are a few pieces of their clinical and research work:

• In an abstract they presented at the World Congress of Psychiatry in Vienna in 2023 they reported that an incredible 96% of patients’ depression scores improved (27% in full remission, 37% with an over 50% improvement, and 32% with improvements between 7-49%) over an average of just 3.4 months.
• Another trial gave 5 days of SL ketamine to 329 patients and found 168 had achieved a significant response by Day 8. These patients then received 12 weeks of treatment at various dose levels or placebo. At 13 weeks, the highest dose (180mg) met the primary outcome of a large reduction in score on a depression scale, while 70.6% of the placebo group relapsed compared to only 42.9% of ketamine patients during the trial.

Largely because of Dr. Wilkinson, Dr. Leister, and others’ research and clinical work, Ketamine is now on all updated protocols for depression and bipolar disorder as of Fall of 2023, according to continuing medical education articles (FOCUS journal sponsored by the American Psychiatric Association). There is no set limitation on the duration that patients are able to be treated with Ketamine, and recently there have been articles released that indicate long-term use results in cognitive improvement over at least the duration of two years – longer studies are ongoing.

The importance of Ketamine is that it is a “paradigm shifter” given that it modulates a neurotransmitter called glutamate, rather than the neurotransmitters traditionally thought to be involved in and targeted by drugs for depression (i.e. deficiencies of serotonin, norepinephrine and/or dopamine).

Beyond its recognized glutamate modulating properties, Ketamine was found to be the prototype for a new class of medicines identified and named by a chemist in 2018 as “psychoplastogens” because of their ability to induce both structural and functional changes to the brain. However, for reasons you are about to see, we think Ketamine belongs under the name “neuroplastogen”.

At its simplest, ketamine can induce “brain growth” because at low doses (not at high doses):

• Stimulates the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
• Reduces excitotoxicity,
• Increases cerebral blood flow
• Up-regulates BDNF
• Increases nerve growth, dendritic spine density, and synapses
• Reduces neuroinflammation, apoptosis, cell death, and superoxide production.

As a result of up-regulated and stimulated release of BDNF, low-dose Ketamine also:

• Promotes the growth of new neurons (neurogenesis)
• Promotes the development of new synapses (synaptogenesis)
• As an antiparasitic, it even improves the composition of the gut microbiome
• Facilitates the re-myelination of neurons
• Reduces neuroinflammation

Here’s a picture taken with an electron microscope showing the effects of ketamine on a rat neuron. You can see all the extra bulbs or spikes that develop (yellow arrows) following treatment with ketamine. Each of these forms a new synapse.

Under the tutelage of Dr. Wilkinson and Dr. Leister, we have confidently combined their findings on Low-Dose Ketamine, to our clinical findings with Long Haul Covid, Post-Vaccine Syndrome, and ME/CFS patients. In a year of implementing Low-Dose Ketamine treatments, we have seen promising results. Scott Marsland has written a few case studies on neurodegenerative disease, typical Long Haul ME/CFS related neurological presentation, and a variety of other patient cases.

If you recall, early in this piece, we highlighted a number of neurodegenerative pathways, neuronal destruction, and other neuroinflammatory pathways of spike protein. Then, we introduced the mechanisms of action of Low-Dose Ketamine. Mainly, these mechanisms of action reflected an uncanny ability to rebuild neuronal connections, reduce neuroinflammation, re-myelinate neurons, and develop new synapses.

So, how does this translate to our patients? We have seen any combination of the following:

• Improvement or cessation of dysautonomia
• Improvement or return to baseline energy levels and reduction or cessation of Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM)
• Improvement or return to executive functioning and cognition
• Improved GI symptoms, or return to normal GI function
• Improvement in mood, and/or reduction or cessation of depression, anxiety, and anhedonia
• Improvement or cessation of neuropathy
• Return of smell and/or taste

This is an incomplete list of clinical observations. But, it highlights some of the most significant types of improvements we see. We have witnessed patients go from disabled, to able-bodied. Furthermore, patients who are not quite disabled, report significant improvements allowing them to live more meaningful and full lives.

We have been extremely pleased with the results we have seen at Leading Edge Clinic. Of course, it is not as simple as just spoon-feeding Low-Dose Ketamine. Some patients with significant glutamate in the brain must first address these levels. While some patients see results immediately, others require time, patience, and careful titration.

Another significant factor that needs to be addressed is clearing the inflammatory, disruptive, and toxic spike protein. Low-Dose Ketamine does not do this. Of course, all of the information on the use of Low-Dose Ketamine in Long Haul Covid, Post-Vaccine Syndrome, ME/CFS, and neurodenerative diseases are purely clinical. Every case is different.

Nothing from this article should be construed as medical advice. Do not self treat. Find a capable and experienced clinician that can safely advise on the use of these therapies. Furthermore, ensure the clinician can deal with the full picture. Low-Dose Ketamine is a great therapy that helps on multiple layers of spike pathology. But, it is not a panacea. There is no panacea for multi-system complex illness.

Stay tuned as we expect more case studies from the front lines on patients treated with Low-Dose Ketamine.