Covid-19 likely to have a negative impact on the brain in the long run: Study

A new suggests that even mild coronavirus infection may have negative effects on the brain in the long term. Read on to know more.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is a dangerous disease that affects your respiratory system. But more and more evidence has suggested that the deadly disease can damage other organs as well. It can harm your heart, liver, kidneys, eyes and even your brain. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in the US found that COVID-19 is likely to impact the brain in the long run.

COVID-19 May Have Negative Impact On The Brain In The Long Term

According to the study published in the 'Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association,' even mild coronavirus infection may have negative effects on the brain in the long term. The respiratory virus, SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 is known to impact the brain and nervous system, said study lead author Gabriel A de Erausquin.

He said that it is becoming clear that the damage done by the pandemic will not be limited to acute effects, such as delirium in the hospital, but will have chronic consequences that impact many individuals' quality of life and independence.

The coronavirus is believed to enter cells via receptors called ACE2. The highest concentration of ACE2 receptors is in the olfactory bulb, the brain structure involved in the sense of smell.

Olfactory Cells Prone To SARS-CoV-2 Infection

The study aims at finding what degree and under what form. Senior author Sudha Seshadri, professor of neurology in the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, explains "The basic idea of our study is that some of the respiratory viruses have an affinity for nervous system cells."

"Olfactory cells are very susceptible to viral invasion and are particularly targeted by SARS-CoV-2, and that's why one of the prominent symptoms of Covid-19 is the loss of smell," Seshadri added.

The olfactory bulb connects with the hippocampus, a brain structure primarily responsible for short-term memory, said the article published in the journal.

"The trail of the virus, when it invades the brain, leads almost straight to the hippocampus," de Erausquin said. That is believed to be one of the sources of the cognitive impairment observed in Covid-19 patients.

"We suspect it may also be part of the reason why there will be an accelerated cognitive decline over time in susceptible individuals," de Erausquin said.

"The under-recognised medical history of these viruses over the last century suggests a strong link to brain diseases that affect memory and behaviour," said Maria C. Carrillo, Alzheimer's Association chief science officer and a co-author of the paper.

"In this difficult time, we can create a 'silver lining' by capitalising on the Alzheimer's Association's global reach and reputation to bring the research community together to illuminate Covid-19's long-term impact on the brain," Carrillo added.

(with inputs from IANS)