Scientists from La Trobe University found that the cause of ‘brain fog’ in long COVID.
They found similarities between the effects of COVID-19 and the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
if further studies confirm that amyloid clumps are contributing to long-COVID, then drugs that have been developed to combat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may be repurposed to treat these symptoms.
The research is published in Nature Communications and was conducted by Dr. Nick Reynolds et al.
Long COVID is marked by brain symptoms such as memory loss, sensory confusion, severe headaches, and even stroke in up to 30 percent of cases, which can persist for months after the infection is over.
While there is evidence that the virus can enter the brain of infected people, the precise mechanisms causing these neurological symptoms are unknown.
In the study, the team examined if similar amyloid clumps could be formed from fragments of protein from SARS-CoV-2.
Finding two such protein fragments that readily form amyloids, called ORF6 and ORF10, and that these are highly toxic to brain cells grown in a lab.
The team says the findings of aggregates of SARS-Cov-2 proteins in people with long COVID may explain the condition known as “brain fog.”
These toxic clumps of protein, or amyloid assemblies, appear to be similar to those found in Alzheimer’s disease and may be responsible for some of the neurological symptoms of long-COVID.
The team suggests that aggregates of SARS-CoV-2 proteins may trigger neurological symptoms in COVID-19 that many call brain fog.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about asthma drug that may help reduce COVID-19, and this antiviral drug could eliminate COVID-19 by day 3 of treatment.
For more information about COVID, please see recent studies about how to prevent loss of smell and taste from COVID-19, and results showing UV-LED lights can kill COVID virus and HIV effectively.
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