Johns Hopkins scientists found that female mice recovering from COVID showed lasting memory loss and brain inflammation.
The effect was driven by having two X chromosomes, revealing a genetic cause for why long COVID hits women harder.
“Thread: A molecular clue to Long COVID “brain fog”
1/ New study from Yokohama City Univ used PET imaging of AMPA receptors. Long COVID patients showed elevated AMPAR levels, linked to both cognitive impairment and inflammation. A molecular biomarker emerges.”
How does a transient viral infection like COVID lead to long lasting neurologic symptoms?
In humans and in animal models, SARS-CoV-2 can damage peripheral sensory nerves in the nose, leaving behind debris that can then trigger inflammation in brain microglia for weeks to months after infection, which can then lead to post-viral neurological symptoms like cognitive dysfunction (brain fog).
The peripheral neuron-to-microglia axis offers a potential explanation for persistent inflammation seen in conditions like Long COVID and ME/CFS.
“Let’s talk about COVID, brain damage & society.
Specifically, what happens when a neurotropic virus repeatedly infects the population, targeting the frontal lobe & almost nobody talks about the consequences?
This thread is for the skeptics.
I’m a neurologist, stay with me 🧵”
“significant memory and executive function decline lasting up to a year, despite no reported subjective symptoms, prompting new questions about the virus’s long-term cognitive effects.”
“Long COVID can injure the brain - and persistent autoimmunity could be a major driver. A study links persistent AT1 receptor autoantibodies (AT1-AA) with neuroaxonal injury and cognitive symptoms. Here’s what it means🧵”
“COVID-19 survivors were at higher adjusted risk of mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and dyspnea. • COVID-19 may be a risk factor for onset of symptoms and adverse events in patients with neurological conditions”
“Risk of new-onset dementia following COVID-19 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis”
“Brain fog may gradually evolve into a slight memory problem, difficulty finding the right word for things, objects, situations and then registering new information.”
A widely held notion is that SARS2 activates our immune systems, causing an inflammatory response in the brain.
The present study revealed that in YOUNG adults, university students, without other comorbidities, there can be significant long-lasting cognitive impairments TWO YEARS after COVID-19 infection."
➡️"Specifically, verbal working memory was significantly impaired, and a lower performance was detected in divided attention and response inhibition.”
