Researchers have discovered that leakiness in the brain may be the cause of memory and concentration issues in long COVID patients. This is the first evidence that long COVID patients may have leaky blood brain barriers, according to study coauthor Matthew Campbell, a geneticist at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. The blood brain barrier, which typically acts as a protective shield for the brain, can become compromised, allowing viruses and other harmful substances to enter the brain and cause damage. Neurologist Avindra Nath from the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., notes that this study provides evidence that “brain fog” has a biological basis, which is crucial for patients whose symptoms may be dismissed by physicians. Brain fog can manifest as difficulty recalling short-term memories or a slowdown in thinking, which can be distressing for individuals experiencing it.
2024-03-15 07:30:00
Link from www.sciencenews.org