We Just Got More Evidence That Long Covid Is a Brain Injury (opens in new tab)

(sciencealert.com)

41 pointsbethemoly1y ago13 comments

13 comments

There are a few papers showing that the spike protein can cross the blood-brain barrier so maybe it's not even necessary for it to 'sneak in via the vagus nerve' as mentioned in the article.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35052867/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36810757/

metadat1y ago

> Signs of brain inflammation were present up to 18 months after first contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Is anyone still recovering from COVID after 3+ years? If it's not permanent is it still to be considered a brain "injury"?

drannex1y ago

Yes. I had complete lung collapse last year due to having COVID in early 2021. It's a very serious thing, and something that shouldn't be understated. Multiple emergency surgeries to save my life, relearning how to breathe and walk, took up a good bit of my life this past year. Some days are worse than others, I hide it well, but it's nearly impossible some days.

I was a skateboarder before, can't even cruise on it without gasping for breath soon after starting.

AndrewKemendo1y ago

That sounds terrifying I’m sorry.

Are there any interventions that would prevent this? What was the acute cause that made the collapse happen?

snakeyjake1y ago

> Is anyone still recovering from COVID after 3+ years?

Yes.

Thousands of people in the US are bedridden with long Covid.

They caught Covid, something went really, really, wrong, and they never got out of bed. They cannot bathe or feed or take care of themselves at all. Some need to be fitted with pacemakers because their hearts are unable to regulate themselves.

fragmede1y ago

That's a fate worse than death. Mortality stats for COVID don't cover that.

magicalhippo1y ago

My SO still struggles with reduced short-term memory and clarity of thought, in addition to overall reduced energy and capacity.

Her period also went from clockwork to highly irregular. It's better now but still irregular.

She managed to get COVID just after getting the vaccine shot in early 2021, so a double whammy of sorts we recon. Symptoms started after that.

addaon1y ago

> If it's not permanent is it still to be considered a brain "injury"?

I'm not sure I understand the assumptions behind this question. If I sprain my ankle, that is an ankle "injury," even though it is not permanent. What am I missing?

metadat1y ago

Sprained ankles often leave you susceptible to more injuries in that zone in the future, suggesting they may not completely heal.

I'm curious if the human brain can be expected to respond in a similar way.

1 more reply

Terr_1y ago

> If it's not permanent is it still to be considered a brain "injury"?

Of course. Injuries include both permanent ones and recoverable ones.

bravetraveler1y ago

I don't know if I'd call it recovering, but I have absolutely lost a certain sharpness/clarity since having a couple passes

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

13 comments

aeternum1y ago

There are a few papers showing that the spike protein can cross the blood-brain barrier so maybe it's not even necessary for it to 'sneak in via the vagus nerve' as mentioned in the article.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35052867/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36810757/

metadat1y ago

> Signs of brain inflammation were present up to 18 months after first contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Is anyone still recovering from COVID after 3+ years? If it's not permanent is it still to be considered a brain "injury"?

drannex1y ago

I was a skateboarder before, can't even cruise on it without gasping for breath soon after starting.

AndrewKemendo1y ago

That sounds terrifying I’m sorry.

Are there any interventions that would prevent this? What was the acute cause that made the collapse happen?

snakeyjake1y ago

> Is anyone still recovering from COVID after 3+ years?

Yes.

Thousands of people in the US are bedridden with long Covid.

fragmede1y ago

That's a fate worse than death. Mortality stats for COVID don't cover that.

magicalhippo1y ago

My SO still struggles with reduced short-term memory and clarity of thought, in addition to overall reduced energy and capacity.

Her period also went from clockwork to highly irregular. It's better now but still irregular.

She managed to get COVID just after getting the vaccine shot in early 2021, so a double whammy of sorts we recon. Symptoms started after that.

addaon1y ago

> If it's not permanent is it still to be considered a brain "injury"?

I'm not sure I understand the assumptions behind this question. If I sprain my ankle, that is an ankle "injury," even though it is not permanent. What am I missing?

metadat1y ago

Sprained ankles often leave you susceptible to more injuries in that zone in the future, suggesting they may not completely heal.

I'm curious if the human brain can be expected to respond in a similar way.

1 more reply

Terr_1y ago

> If it's not permanent is it still to be considered a brain "injury"?

Of course. Injuries include both permanent ones and recoverable ones.

bravetraveler1y ago

I don't know if I'd call it recovering, but I have absolutely lost a certain sharpness/clarity since having a couple passes

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse