Covid

Scientists warn that COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms could experience serious brain damage that may have long-term consequences. This warning was stated after a recent study showed that the SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 can cause severe neurological complications, including brain inflammation, psychosis, and delirium.

Even the latest findings show that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can directly enter and infect brain tissue.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can infect the brain and damage it

The symptoms and effects of the corona virus infection that causes COVID-19 are still being studied. Over the past few months scientists have uncovered a range of temporary and long-term impacts that could potentially affect COVID-19 patients.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can hijack brain cells, using their ability to divide. This virus directly infects brain cells called neurons.

The facts were reported in a post on bioRxiv, a journal that has not yet undergone peer review (peer-reviewed).

Researchers conducted research on three COVID-19 patients who died. They operated on and examined the body's brain tissue. To confirm the results of the tissue examination, the researchers conducted experiments on cells (organoids) and on mice.

In experiments on organoids, the team found that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can enter brain neurons via ACE2 receptors. The ACE2 receptor is a protein that the virus uses to enter cells and trigger infection.

They then use a special microscope and see that the virus particles that cause COVID-19 can control the network of neurons and multiply.

In this experiment, researchers also found metabolic changes in healthy brain cells near infected cells. As a result, the cells near the infected cells die. According to the researchers, this shows that the infected cells steal oxygen levels in the healthy cells next to them to help the virus to divide.

COVID-19 can cause brain damage

Before it was first known that COVID-19 infection can cause various damage to the brain. Researcher from University College London (UCL) published the results of a study on 43 COVID-19 patients who showed serious complications of brain and nerve damage. In the details of the report, the researchers know that there are at least 4 effects of the virus on the nerves of the brain.

First , some COVID-19 patients experience a confused state known as delirium or encephalopathy. The condition of delirium is usually associated with cognitive decline, memory problems, and feeling confused and disoriented.

In the majority of COVID-19 cases, these neurological disorders are only temporary. Even so, neuroscientists question why this condition occurs in COVID-19 patients.

In one case study, delirium occurred in a 55-year-old COVID-19 patient who had no prior psychiatric history. This patient was discharged from the hospital after three days showing symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough and muscle aches.

After returning home, the patient was confused and experienced disorientation, visual and auditory hallucinations.

Second One of the worrisome findings is the finding of several cases of patients with inflammation of the central nervous system in the form of ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) .

ADEM is a fairly rare condition. However, since the COVID-19 outbreak became widespread, more and more cases of inflammation of the central nervous system have emerged. In this study alone there were 9 cases of patients with ADEM.

Third , the condition of stroke is one of the complications that occur in COVID-19 patients in this study. Half of the patients in the study had risk factors for stroke, the other half did not. They only have COVID-19 infection as a risk factor for these nervous system complications. Lastly is the potential for other brain damage.

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Does this brain damage have long-term effects?

To date, at least 300 studies worldwide have found a link between COVID-19 and neurological disorders. These include mild symptoms such as headaches, loss of smell, and tingling sensation.

All of the aforementioned complications of the impact of COVID-19 on the brain have the potential for long-term damage.

"What is clear, if a patient has had a stroke, they may have residual weaknesses from the stroke. Patients with inflammation may experience residual deficiency, ”said Hadi Manji, one of the study's authors.

The researchers said further research on a larger scale was needed to find out more clearly and more accurately the link between COVID-19 and the nerves of the brain.

Researchers say the long-term effects of viral infection on the human brain occurred after the 1918 influenza pandemic.

"The brain damage associated with a pandemic may resemble the plague encephalitis lethargica "Sleeping sickness" in the 1920s and 1930s after the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, "Michael Zandi, was quoted as saying by Reuters, Wednesday (8/7). Encephalitis and sleeping sickness have long been associated with outbreaks of influenza, although until now a direct relationship between the two has been difficult to prove.

In addition to its relationship with the brain and nerves, until now scientists have found a link between COVID-19 and other diseases such as the kidneys, liver, heart, and almost all organs.