Covid Brain: The Impact of Leakage and Inflammation on Long Covid Patients

Tuesday - February 27 2024, 01:39 UTC - 11 months ago

A team of scientists from Trinity College Dublin and FutureNeuro have discovered a link between brain fog in Long COVID patients and disruption to the integrity of brain blood vessels. They have also identified biomarkers and a new MRI scan that can help diagnose and treat this debilitating symptom. This groundbreaking research offers hope for the estimated 10% of patients suffering from Long COVID and its neurological consequences.

In late 2019, the world was hit with a new virus, SARS-CoV2, and since then it has caused a global pandemic that has had tremendous impacts on our society. As scientists and medical professionals worked tirelessly to find ways to contain the virus and decrease its spread, new symptoms and conditions began to surface, with one of the most notable being Long COVID.

Long COVID is a condition where patients experience lingering symptoms, such as fatigue, shortness of breath, problems with memory and thinking, and joint/muscle pain, for more than 12 weeks after their initial COVID-19 infection. While the majority of patients make a full recovery, Long COVID can affect up to 10% of those infected with the virus.

One of the most troubling symptoms reported by Long COVID patients is brain fog and cognitive decline. This has a significant impact on a person's quality of life and ability to function normally. In response to this, a team of scientists from Trinity College Dublin and investigators from FutureNeuro embarked on a research project to understand the underlying causes of brain fog in Long COVID patients.

Their findings, published in the prestigious journal Nature Neuroscience, revealed that there is a disruption to the integrity of the blood vessels in the brains of patients suffering from Long COVID and brain fog. This "leakiness" of blood vessels was able to distinguish between patients with brain fog and those without, providing a new diagnostic method for this debilitating symptom.

Furthermore, the team also discovered a novel form of MRI scan that can show the impact of Long COVID on the brain's delicate network of blood vessels. This breakthrough has significant implications for diagnosis and treatment, as specific targeted therapies can now be developed for patients with brain fog and cognitive decline.

This research was funded by Science Foundation Ireland during the pandemic and involved recruiting patients suffering from the effects of Long COVID, as well as hospitalized patients. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, the team was determined to shed light on this new and emerging field of virus-related brain complications.

Dr. Caitríona Lally, Clinical Lecturer in Neurology at Trinity College Dublin and FutureNeuro Investigator, states, "As a leader in inflammation and brain diseases, I am extremely proud of the work carried out by our team and the positive impact this will have on those suffering from Long COVID." The research found that certain biomarkers in blood samples were elevated in Long COVID patients with brain fog, indicating a link between neuroinflammation and loss of blood-brain barrier integrity. This provides a crucial step-change in our understanding of the neurological consequences of Long COVID and offers hope for targeted treatments in the future.

In conclusion, the discovery of the link between blood vessel integrity and brain fog in Long COVID patients offers a significant breakthrough in our understanding of this condition. This research not only provides a new diagnostic method but also opens up avenues for targeted treatments to improve the lives of those affected by this condition.