A study from Sweden indicates that following a Covid-19 infection, patients experience a significant loss of neural connections in the brain, which increases the risk of developing mental disorders.
The research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, was conducted by experts from Sweden and a hospital affiliated with Harvard University in the United States. They aimed to delve deeper into the effects of Covid-19 on the nervous system by creating “brain organoids.” These are miniature brains the size of a pinhead. Subsequently, they infected these organoids with the virus.
Normally, the brain eliminates unnecessary neural connections to make room for new ones. However, in individuals infected with Covid-19, the brain has removed an excessive number of neural connections or synapses that allow brain cells to communicate.
“The amount of neural connections lost is similar to that seen in patients with schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. This could explain why many individuals with long Covid exhibit neurological symptoms and why those who have been infected with the virus have a higher risk of developing neurological disorders compared to those who have not been infected,” Fortune quoted on November 6.
The team of experts noted that several studies on individuals who died from Covid-19 also indicated that the virus could kill nerve cells, reduce the thickness of gray matter in the brain, and cause a deficiency in neural connections.
Covid-19 may affect the human brain. (Photo: Fortune).
Previously, experts demonstrated that individuals with Covid-19 face a high risk of complications such as stroke, memory issues, depression, anxiety, and frequent migraines. More than one-third of those who have been infected with the virus reported neurological symptoms, according to the journal Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease.
Some patients experience conditions such as tremors, movement issues, involuntary muscle contractions, seizures, auditory and visual problems, balance and coordination issues, along with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. The most common neurological symptoms include brain fog, headaches, confusion, sleep disturbances, emotional disorders, and issues with smell, taste, and blood metabolism.
In March, the journal Nature also reported findings that Covid-19 could lead to gray matter loss and damage to brain tissue in patients.
Currently, nearly 20% of adults in the United States, equivalent to 50 million people, are experiencing long Covid, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau this summer.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), long Covid is defined as symptoms that occur after an acute infection or persist from the time a patient is infected with the virus. There is still no specific treatment for long Covid; patients are primarily treated based on their symptoms.
