Even though Omicron caused less severe disease than Delta, the incidence of neurological manifestations is similar. More than 30% of patients experienced 'brain fog', delirium, stroke, and cognitive impairment, and over half of these patients presented abnormal neuroimaging outcomes.. The most frequent imaging features (affecting >60% of patients) include ischemic infarcts, intracerebral hemorrhages, perfusion abnormalities, and leptomeningeal enhancement. Hypometabolism in the pons, cerebellum, bilateral insula, bilateral medial lobes, and prefrontal cortex indicates brain function dysregulation in COVID patients. The high incidence of cerebrovascular events such as ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, indicates potential endothelial injury and coagulation dysfunction. Other investigations have also reported hypoxic alterations in the cerebellum and cerebrum, metabolic alterations of astrocytes, microglial activation, neuro-axonal damage, and neuronal loss.."
Study from CAMH found, via PET scans, elevated levels of the protein TSPO, a brain marker of inflammation, in patients with onset of depression in long covid
more than 200 million globally may experience lingering neurological symptoms from COVID, including depression, memory impairment, slower motor control, low motivation and energy, for months to even years due to brain inflammation from long COVID
this along side everything we have learned in the last 2.5 years ( much summarized in the lit review done by Stanford and Yale, linked in the comments ) moves us a step closer in understanding the underlying biological mechanisms behind these symptoms
Thread on Twitter: New study documents the case of two previously healthy sisters - 11 and 13-years-old - with new-onset cognitive decline after mild covid. The ability of their brains to consume glucose had been impaired - an initiating factor for dementia, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease 🧵
Interesting study: Inflammatory and mental health sequelae of COVID-19
"The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant negative consequences to mental health. Increased inflammatory factors and neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as cognitive impairment (“brain fog”), depression, and anxiety are associated with long COVID [post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), termed neuro-PASC]"
➡️Biomarker: MIG
"Growing evidence supporting the usefulness of circulating MIG(monokine induced by gamma interferon (IFN-γ) aka CXCL9) levels as a biomarker reflecting IFN-γ production, which is important because individuals with neuro-#PASC/ neuro-#Longcovid have elevated IFN-γ responses to internal SARS-CoV-2 proteins"
Related: "potential future Alzheimer’s problems may arise from the COVID-19 pandemic as SARS-CoV-2 infections have been known to reactivate dormant VSV and HSV-1 infections...the pandemic could increase future rates of neurodegenerative disease"