on the brain

‘Those infected with the [SARS-CoV-2] virus are at increased risk of developing a range of neurological conditions in the first year after the infection. Such complications include strokes, cognitive and memory problems, depression, anxiety, and migraine headaches.’

Washington University School of Medicine / Nature: Medicine (2022) ➤

❦ on the web of dementia

‘All subtypes of dementia, irrespective of patients’ previous dementia types, behaved like rapidly-progressive dementia following COVID-19.

Researchers also found that the characteristics of a particular type of dementia changed following COVID-19, and both degenerative and vascular dementias started behaving like mixed dementia both clinically and radiologically.

A rapidly and aggressively deteriorating course was observed in patients having insidious onset, slowly progressive dementia, and who were previously cognitively stable.’

IOS Press / Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Reports (2023) ➤

❦ on neurodegenerative diseases

“The brains of people who died from COVID-19 were remarkably similar to the brains of people who die from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, showing inflammation and disrupted circuitry.”

Tony Wyss-Coray, Professor of Neurology, Stanford University (2021)

❦ on acute and chronic neurological impacts

‘From mild anosmia [loss of smell] to severe ischemic stroke, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the central nervous system is still a great challenge to scientists and healthcare practitioners.

Besides the acute and severe neurological problems described, as encephalopathies, leptomeningitis, and stroke, the chronic impact observed during Long COVID or the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) greatly intrigues scientists worldwide.

Strikingly, even asymptomatic, and mild-diseased patients may evolve with important neurological and psychiatric symptoms such as confusion, memory loss, cognitive decline and chronic fatigue, associated or not with anxiety and depression.’

J. Peron / University of Massachusetts (2023)

❦ on haemorrhages of the human foetal cortex

‘Strikingly, the [foetal brain] haemorrhages are predominantly found in the late first and early second trimester of gestation.

Specifically, the majority were between 12 and 14 PCW [post-conception week], a critical window of human foetal brain development when the endothelial tight junctions increase to form the blood-brain barrier.

Our observations of disrupted foetal cerebral vasculature are consistent with reports of damage to the microvasculature of the adult brain in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.’

Massimo et al / Brain (2023)

❦ on children, mental health issues, and neurological problems

‘Children have largely been unaffected by severe COVID-19 [SARS-CoV-2 infection] compared to adults, but data suggest that they may have experienced new conditions after developing the disease.

We found significantly higher risks for some new conditions in exposed children, including mental health issues and neurological problems.

The overall excess risk for new-onset conditions after COVID-19 was 78% higher in the exposed than unexposed children.’

Di Chiara et al / Acta Paediatrica (2023)

❦ on catching a stroke in a café

“A bizarre recurring point of debate:

— “People die every day of lots of other things!”

True, but you don’t catch a stroke from other people in a restaurant.”

NHS Palliative Medicine Consultant (2023)

❦ on fire and predisposition

“If someone is already predisposed to Parkinson’s, having COVID-19 could be like pouring more fuel on that ‘fire’ in the brain.

The same would apply for a predisposition for Alzheimer’s and other dementias that have been linked to inflammasomes.”

Trent Woodruff (NHMRC), Professor of Pharmacology, University of Queensland (2022)

Archives: The Brain & Neurological System

✾ On SARS-CoV-2 infections (COVID-19), brain damage, neurological damage, and dementia

by C19.Life... et al • 21 November 2025

‘Although COVID-19 was originally considered a respiratory illness, it is now well established that SARS-CoV-2 infection can have far-reaching impacts on the nervous system. Common neurological symptoms in Long COVID [PASC] include new-onset cognitive difficulties, dysautonomia, fatigue, and peripheral neuropathy.’ from ‘Neuroimmune pathophysiology of long COVID’ by Moen et al / Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences (2025).

📖 Neurological and neurodevelopmental effects of Covid and MIS-C on children

by Byrne et al ~ Nature Pediatric Research / Bioengineer • 11 November 2025

‘The pediatric population, once thought to be relatively spared from severe outcomes, has presented with significant neurological manifestations that raise concerns about the short- and long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the developing nervous system.’

📖 Does Covid Lead to Dementia? What We Know About Covid’s Impact on Your Brain

by Jason Gale / Bloomberg UK • 3 March 2025

‘For patients already battling Alzheimer’s disease, studies indicate that Covid can exacerbate brain inflammation, damage immune cells, and accelerate the disease. Even previously healthy older adults face an increased risk of cognitive impairment and new-onset dementia after infection. Mild Covid cases in younger adults have also been linked to brain issues affecting memory and thinking. ’

📖 Does COVID increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

by News Medical Life Sciences ❂ Duff et al / Nature Medicine • 2 February 2025

‘Scientists discover that even mild COVID-19 can alter brain proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease, potentially increasing dementia risk. COVID-19-positive individuals exhibited lower cognitive test performance compared to controls – equivalent to almost two years of age-related cognitive decline. ’

📖 Persistent symptoms and clinical findings in adults with Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 / Post-COVID-19 Syndrome (PCS) in the second year after acute infection

by R. Peter et al / PLOS Medicine • 23 January 2025

‘The predominant symptoms, often clustering together, remain fatigue, cognitive disturbance and chest symptoms, including breathlessness, with sleep disorder and anxiety as additional complaints. Many patients with persistent PCS [PASC/‘Long Covid’] show impaired executive functioning, reduced cognitive processing speed and reduced physical exercise capacity.’

📖 Long Covid and Impaired Cognition – More Evidence and More Work to Do

by Al-Aly & Rosen / The New England Journal of Medicine • 28 February 2024

‘Modest cognitive decline occurred with the original virus and with each viral variant, including B.1.1.529 (Omicron). As compared with uninfected participants (control), cognitive deficit – commensurate with a 3-point loss in IQ – was evident even in participants who had had mild Covid-19 with resolved symptoms. Participants with unresolved persistent symptoms had the equivalent of a 6-point loss in IQ, and those who had been admitted to the intensive care unit had the equivalent of a 9-point loss in IQ. Reinfection contributed an additional loss in IQ of nearly 2 points, as compared with no reinfection.’

📖 Blood–brain barrier disruption and sustained systemic inflammation in individuals with long COVID-associated cognitive impairment

by Greene et al / Nature: Neuroscience [Commentary by Danielle Beckman PhD] • 22 February 2024

❦ “This study confirms everything that I have seen in the microscope over the last few years. The authors of the study use a technique called dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging ( DCE-MRI ), an imaging technique that can measure the density , integrity , and leakiness of tissue vasculature. Comparing all individuals with previous COVID infection to unaffected controls revealed decreased general brain volume in patients with ‘brain fog’ – along with significantly reduced cerebral white matter volume in both hemispheres in the recovered and ‘brain fog’ cohorts . Covid-19 induces brain-volume loss and leaky blood-brain barrier in some patients. How can this be more clear?” © 2024 Dr. Danielle Beckman, Neuroscientist (PhD Biological Chemistry) ➲ ❂ 📖 (22 Feb 2024 ~ Nature: Neuroscience) Blood–brain barrier disruption and sustained systemic inflammation in individuals with long COVID-associated cognitive impairment ➤ ‘ Our data suggest that sustained systemic inflammation and persistent localized blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction is a key feature of long COVID-associated brain fog. Patients with long COVID had elevated levels of IL-8, GFAP and TGFβ, with TGFβ specifically increased in the cohort with brain fog. GFAP is a robust marker of cerebrovascular damage and is elevated after repetitive head trauma, reflecting BBB disruption, as seen in contact sport athletes and in individuals with self-reported neurological symptoms in long COVID. Interestingly, TGFβ was strongly associated with BBB disruption and structural brain changes. ’ [Layperson overview] 📖 (February 2024 ~ Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News) Leaky Blood Vessels in the Brain Linked to Brain Fog in Long COVID Patients ➤ [Related] 📖 (7 Feb 2022 ~ Nature: Cardiovascular Research) Blood–brain barrier link to human cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease ➤ ❂

On unseen costs, refrigerator trucks, and the train coming down the tunnel

by Dr. David Joffe PhD / FRACP (Respiratory Physician) • 27 January 2024

❦ “It’s really not in the interest of the virus to kill us quickly. That’s why it has mutated to immune escape. That way it enters silently, and then eats you slowly whilst you’re still a spreading vector. Refrigerator trucks are long gone. That’s all the political class wanted. The unseen costs of CVD [cardiovascular disease] , DM [diabetes mellitus] , and both dementia and Parkinson’s Disease are the train coming down the tunnel. The economists are catching up. The actuaries are already there. Politicians and most people? Not yet...” ❂ © 2024 Dr. David Joffe PhD / FRACP (Respiratory Physician) ➲

📖 Microstructural brain abnormalities, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction after mild COVID-19

by Scardua-Silva et al / Nature: Scientific Reports • 19 January 2024

❦ ‘Although some studies have shown neuroimaging and neuropsychological alterations in post-COVID-19 patients, fewer combined neuroimaging and neuropsychology evaluations of individuals who presented a mild acute infection. Here we investigated cognitive dysfunction and brain changes in a group of mildly infected individuals. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 97 consecutive subjects ( median age of 41 years ) without current or history of psychiatric symptoms (including anxiety and depression) after a mild infection , with a median of 79 days (and mean of 97 days ) after diagnosis of COVID-19. We performed semi-structured interviews, neurological examinations, 3T-MRI scans, and neuropsychological assessments. The patients reported memory loss ( 36% ), fatigue ( 31% ) and headache ( 29% ). The quantitative analyses confirmed symptoms of fatigue ( 83% of participants), excessive somnolence ( 35% ), impaired phonemic verbal fluency ( 21% ), impaired verbal categorical fluency ( 13% ) and impaired logical memory immediate recall ( 16% ). Our group… presented higher rates of impairments in processing speed ( 11.7% in FDT- Reading and 10% in FDT- Counting ). The white matter (WM) analyses with DTI * revealed higher axial diffusivity values in post-infected patients compared to controls. * Diffusion tensor imaging tractography , or DTI tractography, is an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technique most commonly used to provide imaging of the brain. Our results suggest persistent cognitive impairment and subtle white matter abnormalities in individuals mildly infected , without anxiety or depression symptoms. One intriguing fact is that we observed a high proportion of low average performance in our sample of patients (which has a high average level of education ), including immediate and late verbal episodic memory, phonological and semantic verbal fluency, immediate visuospatial episodic memory, processing speed, and inhibitory control . Although most subjects did not present significant impaired scores compared with the normative data, we speculate that the low average performance affecting different domains may result in a negative impact in everyday life , especially in individuals with high levels of education and cognitive demands .’ ❂ ❦ Note how these findings might negatively affect daily activities that demand sustained cognitive attention and fast reaction times – such as driving a car or motorbike, or piloting a plane. Consider air-traffic control. Consider the impact on healthcare workers whose occupations combine long periods of intense concentration with a need for critical precision. ❂ 📖 (19 Jan 2024 ~ Nature: Scientific Reports) Microstructural brain abnormalities, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction after mild COVID-19 ➤ © 2024 Nature .

📖 Unravelling the connection between COVID-19 and Alzheimer’s disease: a comprehensive review

by Shajahan et al / Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience • 8 January 2024

‘[COVID-19’s] ability to invade the central nervous system through the hematogenous and neural routes, besides attacking the respiratory system, has the potential to worsen cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease patients. The severity of this issue must be highlighted.’

📖 Persistent cognitive slowing in post-COVID patients: longitudinal study over 6 months

by Martin et al / Journal of Neurology • 7 November 2023

❦ ‘It is now well established that post-COVID syndrome ( PCS ) represents a serious complication in a substantial number of patients following SARS-CoV-2 infection. PCS is diagnosed when COVID-19-related symptoms persist for more than 3 months. It can occur even after an initially mild to moderate course of infection , and comprises a large variety of symptoms . Around 30% of PCS patients show neurological and neuropsychiatric sequelae , such as fatigue , depressive symptoms , and cognitive dysfunction . These are experienced as particularly debilitating, as they have detrimental effects on daily functioning in PCS patients and hamper a successful return to their jobs. Fatigue is a frequent and one of the most debilitating symptoms in post-COVID syndrome (PCS). Recently, we proposed that fatigue is caused by hypoactivity of the brain’s arousal network and reflected by a reduction of cognitive processing speed . Eighty-eight PCS patients with cognitive complaints and 50 matched healthy controls underwent neuropsychological assessment. Seventy-seven patients were subsequently assessed at 6-month follow-up. Patients showed cognitive slowing indicated by longer reaction times compared to control participants in a simple-response tonic alertness task and in all more complex tasks requiring speeded performance . Reduced alertness correlated with higher fatigue . Alertness dysfunction remained unchanged at 6-month follow-up and the same was true for most attention tasks and cognitive domains .’ ❂ 📖 (7 Nov 2023 ~ Journal of Neurology) Persistent cognitive slowing in post-COVID patients: longitudinal study over 6 months ➤ © 2023 Journal of Neurology .

📖 All variants of COVID-19 can infect the brain, study finds

by Rich Haridy / New Atlas • 31 October 2023

A layperson-level overview from New Atlas on how all variants of SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – are ‘neuroinvasive’ , meaning that all can infect or enter the brain and the nervous system . (From July 2023 Nature Communications study: ‘Neuroinvasion and anosmia are independent phenomena upon infection with SARS-CoV-2 and its variants’.)

On brain damage, and roads made of myelin

by Outbreak Updates • 11 October 2023

❦ Your brain is a vast city. The roads (myelin) in this city let cars move efficiently. Oligodendrocytes are the construction workers who maintain these roads. As we age, these workers slow down, causing traffic jams and slower thoughts. Enter SARS-CoV-2, the destructive rioter. It doesn’t just disrupt traffic; it damages the roads and chases away the construction crews. Weeks after the riot, the city still struggles to function, with long-lasting road damages and traffic jams. This is the ‘brain fog’ of post-COVID life. ❂ 📖 (24 Sep 2023 ~ Aging and Disease) Role of Microglia, Decreased Neurogenesis and Oligodendrocyte Depletion in Long COVID-Mediated Brain Impairments ➤ © 2023 Outbreak Updates ➲

📖 Long-COVID cognitive impairments and reproductive hormone deficits in men may stem from GnRH neuronal death

by Sauve et al / eBioMedicine: Lancet Discovery Science • 12 September 2023

❦ ‘We have recently demonstrated a causal link between loss of gonadotropin-releasing hormone ( GnRH ), the master molecule regulating reproduction , and cognitive deficits during pathological aging , including Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. Olfactory and cognitive alterations , which persist in some COVID-19 patients, and long-term hypotestosteronaemia in SARS-CoV-2-infected men are also reminiscent of the consequences of deficient GnRH, suggesting that GnRH system neuroinvasion could underlie certain post-COVID symptoms and thus lead to accelerated or exacerbated cognitive decline . We explored the hormonal profile of COVID-19 patients and targets of SARS-CoV-2 infection in post-mortem patient brains and human fetal tissue. We found that persistent hypotestosteronaemia in some men could indeed be of hypothalamic origin , favouring post-COVID cognitive or neurological symptoms , and that changes in testosterone levels and body weight over time were inversely correlated. Infection of olfactory sensory neurons and multifunctional hypothalamic glia called tanycytes highlighted at least two viable neuroinvasion routes . Furthermore, GnRH neurons themselves were dying in all patient brains studied , dramatically reducing GnRH expression. Human fetal olfactory and vomeronasal epithelia , from which GnRH neurons arise, and fetal GnRH neurons also appeared susceptible to infection . Putative GnRH neuron and tanycyte dysfunction following SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasion could be responsible for serious reproductive , metabolic , and mental health consequences in long-COVID and lead to an increased risk of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative pathologies over time in all age groups .’ ❂ 📖 (12 Sep 2023 ~ eBioMedicine: Lancet Discovery Science) Long-COVID cognitive impairments and reproductive hormone deficits in men may stem from GnRH neuronal death ➤ © 2023 eBioMedicine: Lancet Discovery Science .

📖 Comparative study showed that children faced a 78% higher risk of new-onset conditions after they had COVID-19

by Di Chiara et al / Acta Paediatrica • 9 September 2023

❦ Children have largely been unaffected by severe COVID-19 compared to adults, but data suggest that they may have experienced new conditions after developing the disease. We compared 1656 exposed and 1656 unexposed children from 1 February 2020 to 30 November 2021. We found significantly higher risks for some new conditions in exposed children, including mental health issues and neurological problems . The overall excess risk for new-onset conditions after COVID-19 was 78% higher in the exposed than unexposed children. ❂ 📖 (9 Sep 2023 ~ Acta Paediatrica) Comparative study showed that children faced a 78% higher risk of new-onset conditions after they had COVID-19 ➤ © 2023 Di Chiara et al / Acta Paediatrica.

📖 COVID-19 can cause brain cells to ‘fuse’

by Martinez-Marmol & Hilliard / Queensland Brain Institute • 8 June 2023

❦ Researchers at The University of Queensland have discovered viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can cause brain cells to fuse, initiating malfunctions that lead to chronic neurological symptoms. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been detected in the brains of people with 'Long COVID' months after their initial infection. "We discovered COVID-19 causes neurons to undergo a cell fusion process, which has not been seen before," Professor Hilliard said. "After neuronal infection with SARS-CoV-2, the spike S protein becomes present in neurons, and once neurons fuse, they don't die." "They either start firing synchronously, or they stop functioning altogether." As an analogy, Professor Hilliard likened the role of neurons to that of wires connecting switches to the lights in a kitchen and a bathroom. "Once fusion takes place, each switch either turns on both the kitchen and bathroom lights at the same time, or neither of them," he said. "It's bad news for the two independent circuits." The discovery offers a potential explanation for persistent neurological effects after a viral infection. "In the current understanding of what happens when a virus enters the brain, there are two outcomes – either cell death or inflammation," Dr Martinez-Marmol said. "But we've shown a third possible outcome, which is neuronal fusion." Dr Martinez-Marmol said numerous viruses cause cell fusion in other tissues, but also infect the nervous system and could be causing the same problem there. "These viruses include HIV, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, measles, herpes simplex virus and Zika virus," he said. “Our research reveals a new mechanism for the neurological events that happen during a viral infection. “This is potentially a major cause of neurological diseases and clinical symptoms that is still unexplored.” ❂ 📖 (7 June 2023 ~ Science Advances) SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity ➤ 📖 (8 June 2023 ~ Queensland Brain Institute) COVID-19 can cause brain cells to 'fuse' ➤ © 2023 Martinez-Marmol & Hilliard / Queensland Brain Institute / University of Queensland.

On catching a stroke in a café, and dying of lots of other things

by NHS Palliative Medicine Consultant • 20 May 2023

❦ “A bizarre recurring point of debate: — “People die every day of lots of other things!” True, but you don’t catch a stroke from other people in a restaurant. ” © 2023 NHS Palliative Medicine Consultant .

On brain damage and mass cognitive impairment

by NHS Palliative Medicine Consultant • 19 May 2023

❦ “What if Covid has been causing mass cognitive impairment and we are all living in an increasingly stupid society? Mad things could happen with that: imagine if hospitals got rid of masks or people started to believe Covid was just a cold? I know that’s far-fetched, but imagine!” ❂ © 2023 NHS Palliative Medicine Consultant .

📖 Cognitive impairment in young adults with post COVID-19 syndrome

by Herrera et al / Nature: Scientific Reports • 19 April 2023

❦ The results presented here reveal that at least 85% [of the 214 patients with post COVID-19 syndrome] exhibit deficits in one neuropsychological test . Also, the youngest patients were those who showed the most marked and heterogeneous cognitive impairment , while the oldest patients maintained their cognitive functions preserved to a greater extent with only a mild impairment in attention and speed processing. ❂ 📖 (19 Apr 2023 ~ Nature: Scientific Reports) Cognitive impairment in young adults with post COVID-19 syndrome ➤ © 2023 Herrera et al / Nature.

📖 Researchers Discover Connection Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Long COVID

by Linseman Laboratory / University of Denver • 4 April 2023

❦ The Linseman Laboratory is studying the long-term brain health effects of COVID-19 in individuals with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI). Preliminary data suggest that those with a history of both COVID-19 and TBI experience more severe Long COVID symptoms, a higher symptom burden , and more frequent symptoms . Those who reported having COVID-19 and TBI reported worse depressive symptoms , worse functional outcomes , and increased fatigue . ❂ 📖 (4 Apr 2023 ~ SciTechDaily) Researchers Discover Connection Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Long COVID ➤ © 2023 Linesman Laboratory / University of Denver / SciTechDaily.

Show More Articles

❦ The Brain & Neurological System: Scientific papers & media articles

✒ 2024

📖 (19 Jan 2024 ~ Nature: Scientific Reports) Microstructural brain abnormalities, fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction after mild COVID-19 ➤

❂

✒ 2023

📖 (7 Nov 2023 ~ Journal of Neurology) Persistent cognitive slowing in post-COVID patients: longitudinal study over 6 months ➤

❂

📖 (19 Sep 2023 ~ PNAS Nexus) Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection leads to Tau pathological signature in neurons ➤

❂

📖 (12 Sep 2023 ~ eBioMedicine: Lancet Discovery Science) Long-COVID cognitive impairments and reproductive hormone deficits in men may stem from GnRH neuronal death ➤

❂

📖 (1 Sep 2023 ~ Pre-print) SARS-CoV-2 Spike amyloid fibrils specifically and selectively accelerates amyloid fibril formation of human prion protein and the amyloid β peptide ➤

❂

📖 (8 June 2023 ~ Queensland Brain Institute) COVID-19 can cause brain cells to 'fuse' ➤

❂

📖 (7 June 2023 ~ Science Advances) SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity ➤

❂

📖 (1 May 2023 ~ Patient Care) Persistent Changes in Brain Function Observed in Persons with Long COVID ➤

➲ 'The greater activity occurred outside of the normal working memory brain network. We often see such changes in patients with a brain injury: deficits in the default mode network of the brain leads to an increase in activity in other regions to help maintain brain function.'

➲ 'Post-Covid Condition (PCC) participants with neuropsychiatric symptoms demonstrated compensatory neural processes with greater usage of alternate brain regions, and reorganized networks, to maintain normal performance during working memory tasks.'

❂

📖 (19 Apr 2023 ~ Nature / Scientific Reports) Cognitive impairment in young adults with post COVID-19 syndrome ➤

➲ 'The results presented here reveal that at least 85% [of the 214 patients with post COVID-19 syndrome] exhibit deficits in one neuropsychological test.

Also, the youngest patients were those who showed the most marked and heterogeneous cognitive impairment, while the oldest patients maintained their cognitive functions preserved to a greater extent with only a mild impairment in attention and speed processing.'

❂

📖 (10 Apr 2023 ~ Nature / Scientific Reports) Cerebral hypoperfusion in post-COVID-19 cognitively impaired subjects revealed by arterial spin labeling MRI ➤

➲ 'The most frequent neurological manifestations of post-COVID-19 include increased fatigue, diffuse myalgia, ageusia, anosmia, headache, sleep disturbances, dysautonomia and cognitive impairment.

Particularly, cognitive impairment has been increasingly recognised as a long-term sequela of COVID-19.

Recent follow-up investigations reported prevalence of cognitive deficits in 36% of patients at 3 months and 10 months after infection.'

❂

📖 (4 Apr 2023 ~ SciTechDaily) Researchers Discover Connection Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Long COVID ➤

➲ 'The Linseman Laboratory is studying the long-term brain health effects of COVID-19 in individuals with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Preliminary data suggest that those with a history of both COVID-19 and TBI experience more severe Long COVID symptoms, a higher symptom burden, and more frequent symptoms.

Those who reported having COVID-19 and TBI reported worse depressive symptoms, worse functional outcomes, and increased fatigue.'

❂

📖 (1 Apr 2023 ~ Human Genetics) Direct and indirect impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the brain ➤

➲ 'From mild anosmia to severe ischemic stroke, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the central nervous system is still a great challenge to scientists and healthcare practitioners.

❂

📖 (23 Mar 2023 ~ Brain Science) Parkinson's Disease, SARS-CoV-2, and Frailty: Is There a Vicious Cycle Related to Hypovitaminosis D? ➤

➲ 'The possible neurological consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection, associated with physical and cognitive frailty, could lead to a worsening of Parkinson's disease (PD) in infected patients or – more rarely – to an increase in the Parkinsonian symptomatology.

Parkinson's disease (PD) or Parkinsonism has been described after infections with viruses, such as the Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis C virus, HIV, influenza A virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, varicella zoster virus, or West Nile virus.

Therefore, the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 may have even longer-term effects on the brain and lead to an increase in cases of Parkinson's disease, as occurred in the years following the Spanish flu, has been put forward.'

❂

📖 (23 Mar 2023 ~ Frontiers in Neurology) Headache in long COVID as disabling condition: A clinical approach ➤

➲ 'The major late neurological manifestations [of Long COVID syndrome] include hyposmia, hypogeusia, dizziness, insomnia, and headache characterized by intense and frequent chronic pain that is resistant to easily accessible drugs.

Headache is a disabling condition in patients with Long COVID-19, exacerbating the conditions of those with headaches prior to contracting COVID-19.'

❂

📖 (March 2023 ~ European Neuropsychopharmacology) Brain correlates of subjective cognitive complaints in COVID-19 survivors: A multimodal magnetic resonance imaging study ➤

❂

📖 (March 2023 ~ Science Direct: Brain, Behavior, & Immunity) Neurocognitive and psychiatric symptoms following infection with COVID-19: Evidence from laboratory and population studies ➤

❂

📖 (6 Mar 2023 ~ Cells) Pathogenesis Underlying Neurological Manifestations of Long COVID Syndrome and Potential Therapeutics ➤

❂

📖 (1 Mar 2023 ~ Scientific American) Long COVID Now Looks like a Neurological Disease, Helping Doctors to Focus Treatments ➤

❂

📖 (1 Mar 2023 ~ Business Standard) Long Covid cuts brain oxygen, worsens cognitive problems, depression ➤

❂

📖 (1 Mar 2023 ~ University of Waterloo) Long COVID linked to lower brain oxygen levels, cognitive problems and psychiatric symptoms ➤

❂

📖 (March 2023 ~ Brain, Behavior, & Immunity: Health) Neurocognitive and psychiatric symptoms following infection with COVID-19: Evidence from laboratory and population studies ➤

❂

📖 (27 Feb 2023 ~ Lancet / eClinicalMedicine) Structural brain changes in patients with post-COVID fatigue: a prospective observational study ➤

❂

📖 (23 Feb 2023 ~ Journal of Neurology) Patterns of acute ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage in patients with COVID-19 ➤

❂

📖 (20 Feb 2023 ~ Journal of Clinical Medicine) COVID-19-Related Neuropathic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis ➤

❂

📖 (14 Feb 2023 ~ Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports) The Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on the Cognitive Functioning of Patients with Pre-Existing Dementia ➤

➲ 'Cognitive postscripts of COVID-19, codenamed as 'cognitive COVID' or 'brain fog,' characterized by multi-domain cognitive impairments, are now being reckoned as the most devastating sequelae of COVID-19.

The rapid progression of dementia, the addition of further impairments / deterioration of cognitive abilities, and the increase or new appearance of white matter lesion burden suggest that previously compromised brains have little defense to withstand a new insult (i.e., a 'second hit'-like infection / dysregulated immune response, and inflammation).'

✢ Related: (4 Apr 2023 ~ Eurekalert) New study shows SARS-CoV-2 infection accelerates the progression of dementia ➤

'All subtypes of dementia, irrespective of patients' previous dementia types, behaved like rapidly-progressive dementia following COVID-19.'

✢ Related: (4 Apr 2023 ~ NeuroscienceNews) COVID-19 Infection Accelerates the Progression of Dementia ➤

'A rapidly and aggressively deteriorating course was observed in patients having insidious-onset, slowly-progressive dementia, and who were previously cognitively stable.'

❂

📖 (13 Feb 2023 ~ NPJ Parkinson's Disease) Detection of SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins and genomic sequences in human brainstem nuclei ➤

❂

📖 (2 Feb 2023 ~ Brain) Neuropsychiatric disorders following SARS-CoV-2 infection ➤

❂

📖 (February 2023 ~ Leadership) Japan: Over 10% Of Kids With COVID-related Brain Disease Died In Japan – Survey ➤

❂

📖 (28 Jan 2023 ~ NeuroImage: Clinical) Brain diffusion alterations in patients with COVID-19 pathology and neurological manifestations ➤

❂

📖 (26 Jan 2023 ~ Plos Blogs: DNA Science) COVID Virus Ventures Beyond the Lungs, Often Lodging in the Brain ➤

❂

📖 (23 Jan 2023 ~ Journal of Neurology) Brain positron emission tomography (PET) and cognitive abnormalities one year after COVID-19 ➤

❂

📖 (19 Jan 2023 ~ Neuron) Virus exposure and neurodegenerative disease risk across national biobanks ➤

❂

📖 (18 Jan 2023 ~ Journal of Clinical Medicine) Cognitive Deficits in the Acute Phase of COVID-19: A Review and Meta-Analysis ➤

❂

📖 (17 Jan 2023 ~ BMC Neurology) Cortical Grey matter volume depletion links to neurological sequelae in post COVID-19 "long haulers" ➤

❂

📖 (16 Jan 2023 ~ Brain) Haemorrhage of human foetal cortex associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection ➤

➲ 'Strikingly, the [foetal brain] haemorrhages are predominately found in the late first and early second trimester of gestation, a period of development in which the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been thoroughly investigated.

Specifically, the majority were between 12 and 14 pcw, a critical window of human foetal brain development when the endothelial tight junctions increase to form the blood-brain barrier.

Our observations of disrupted foetal cerebral vasculature are consistent with reports of damage to the microvasculature of the adult brain in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.'

❂

📖 (14 Jan 2023 ~ Acta Neuropathologica Communications) Reduced T-cell densities in cranial nerves of patients who died with SARS-CoV-2 infection ➤

❂

✒ 2022

📖 (17 Dec 2022 ~ Acta Neuropathologica Communications) Brain autopsies of critically ill COVID-19 patients demonstrate heterogeneous profile of acute vascular injury, inflammation and age-linked chronic brain diseases ➤

❂

📖 (14 Dec 2022 ~ Nature) SARS-CoV-2 infection and persistence in the human body and brain at autopsy ➤

❂

📖 (12 Dec 2022 ~ Yale School of Medicine) Potential New Treatment for "Brain Fog" in Long COVID Patients ➤

❂

📖 (5 Dec 2022 ~ Nature Aging) Severe COVID-19 is associated with molecular signatures of aging in the human brain ➤

➲ 'COVID-19 is an acute respiratory disease often accompanied by neurological sequelae.

Individuals with previous severe COVID-19 exhibit a 10-year average drop in their global cognitive performance, mimicking accelerated aging.

Complementary studies combining neuroimaging and cognitive screening implicate COVID-19-induced impairment of the frontal cortex, a critical area for cognitive function.

Our findings indicate that COVID-19 is associated with molecular signatures of brain aging.'

❂

📖 (5 Dec 2022 ~ New Atlas) Harvard study links severe COVID with genetic signs of brain aging ➤

❂

📖 (30 Nov 2022 ~ Revue Neurologie) Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in SARS-CoV-2 patients with acute neurological syndromes ➤

❂

📖 (30 Nov 2022 ~ Psychiatry Research) Two-year follow-up of brain structural changes in patients who recovered from COVID-19: A prospective study ➤

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📖 (10 Nov 2022 ~ Nature Medicine) Acute and postacute sequelae associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection ➤

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📖 (10 Nov 2022 ~ Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology) Neuropathological findings in COVID-19: an autopsy cohort ➤

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📖 (1 Nov 2022 ~ The University of Queensland, Australia) 'A silent killer' – COVID-19 shown to trigger inflammation in the brain ➤

➲ 'Research led by The University of Queensland has found COVID-19 activates the same inflammatory response in the brain as Parkinson's disease.

The discovery identified a potential future risk for neurodegenerative conditions in people who've had COVID-19, but also a possible treatment.

"It may explain why some people who've had COVID-19 are more vulnerable to developing neurological symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease."

The researchers found the spike protein of the virus was enough to start the process [of triggering the inflammasome pathway], and was further exacerbated when there were already proteins in the brain linked to Parkinson's.

"So if someone is already pre-disposed to Parkinson's, having COVID-19 could be like pouring more fuel on that 'fire' in the brain."

"The same would apply for a predisposition for Alzheimer's and other dementias that have been linked to inflammasomes."

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📖 (1 Nov 2022 ~ Nature Molecular Psychiatry) SARS-CoV-2 drives NLRP3 inflammasome activation in human microglia through spike protein ➤

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📖 (6 Oct 2022 ~ Neuron) The neurobiology of long COVID ➤

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📖 (28 Sep 2022 ~ The Tyee) The Coming COVID Brain Wreck? ➤

➲ 'A new study adds to concerns about the severity and scope of neurological damage the virus can cause.'

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📖 (27 Sep 2022 ~ Frontiers in Neuroscience) SARS-CoV-2, long COVID, prion disease and neurodegeneration ➤

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📖 (23 Sep 2022 ~ CTV News/Canada) COVID raises risk of long-term brain injury, large U.S. study finds ➤

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📖 (22 Sep 2022 ~ Nature Medicine) Long-term neurologic outcomes of COVID-19 ➤

➲ 'Our results show that in the postacute phase of COVID-19, there was increased risk of an array of incident neurologic sequelae including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, cognition and memory disorders, peripheral nervous system disorders, episodic disorders (for example, migraine and seizures), extrapyramidal and movement disorders, mental health disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, sensory disorders, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and encephalitis or encephalopathy.'

✢ Related: (22 Sep 2022 ~ Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis) COVID-19 infections increase risk of long-term brain problems ➤

➲ 'Those who have been infected with the [SARS-CoV-2] virus are at increased risk of developing a range of neurological conditions in the first year after the infection.

Such complications include strokes, cognitive and memory problems, depression, anxiety and migraine headaches.

Additionally, the post-COVID brain is associated with movement disorders, from tremors and involuntary muscle contractions to epileptic seizures, hearing and vision abnormalities, and balance and coordination difficulties as well as other symptoms similar to what is experienced with Parkinson's disease.'

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📖 (11 Sep 2022 ~ BMC Translational Neurodegeneration) The COVID-19 pandemic and Alzheimer's disease: mutual risks and mechanisms ➤

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📖 (6 Sep 2022 ~ International Review of Neurobiology) Chapter Five - Smell deficits in COVID-19 and possible links with Parkinson's disease ➤

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📖 (Sep 2022 ~ Ageing Research Reviews) SARS-CoV-2 and the central nervous system: Emerging insights into hemorrhage-associated neurological consequences and therapeutic considerations ➤

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📖 (11 Aug 2022 ~ PNAS) Morphological, cellular, and molecular basis of brain infection in COVID-19 patients ➤

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📖 (29 Jul 2022 ~ Brain) Neurovascular injury with complement activation and inflammation in COVID-19 ➤

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📖 (29 Jul 2022 ~ Brain: Editorial) How COVID-19 affects microvessels in the brain ➤

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📖 (7 Jul 2022 ~ Nature) COVID and the brain: researchers zero in on how damage occurs ➤

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📖 (July 2022 ~ Brain) Neurovascular injury with complement activation and inflammation in COVID-19 ➤

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📖 (30 Jun 2022 ~ News Medical Life Sciences) Ischemic stroke risk may be higher after COVID-19 compared to flu or bacterial pneumonia ➤

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📖 (May 2022 ~ Brain) Persistent white matter changes in recovered COVID-19 patients at the 1-year follow-up ➤

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📖 (22 Apr 2022 ~ Frontiers in Neuroscience) Brain Imaging Changes in Patients Recovered From COVID-19: A Narrative Review ➤

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📖 (1 Apr 2022 ~ Nature) Neuropathology and virus in brain of SARS-CoV-2 infected non-human primates ➤

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📖 (7 Mar 2022 ~ Nature) SARS-CoV-2 is associated with changes in brain structure in UK Biobank ➤

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📖 (22 Feb 2022 ~ Parkinson's Foundation) The Flu Factor: Is There a Link to Parkinson's? ➤

➲ 'It has long been suspected by scientists that the flu (influenza) might play a role in developing Parkinson's disease (PD) later in life.

Compared to those who were not diagnosed with the flu, there was a 90% higher risk of PD for those who had the flu 15 or more years earlier.

Inflammation is clearly a factor in PD – and influenza is known to trigger an extreme inflammatory response in the body.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its known neurological consequences such as brain fog and loss of smell, continued robust research into how inflammation impacts the brain is warranted.'

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📖 (12 Jan 2022 ~ UConn Today) COVID is Not Just a Respiratory Illness – It Can Cause Strokes Too ➤

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✒ 2021

📖 (1 Dec 2021 ~ JAMA Neurology) Long-term Risk of Parkinson Disease Following Influenza and Other Infections ➤

➲ 'Influenza has been associated with the risk of developing Parkinson disease, but the association is controversial.

In this case-control study, influenza was associated with diagnoses of Parkinson disease more than 10 years after infection.'

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📖 (30 Sep 2021 ~ Translational Psychiatry) Neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19, potential neurotropic mechanisms, and therapeutic interventions ➤

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📖 (22 Jun 2021 ~ Medical Xpress) Autopsy study shows how COVID harms the brain ➤

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📖 (21 Jun 2021 ~ Nature) Dysregulation of brain and choroid plexus cell types in severe COVID-19 ➤

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📖 (June 2021 ~ Brain Hemorrhages) COVID-19 and stroke: A review ➤

➲ 'COVID-19 patients have presented with a wide range of neurological disorders, among which stroke is the most devastating.

SARS-CoV-2 infection induces coagulopathy, disrupts endothelial function, and promotes hypercoagulative state. Severe COVID-19 infection renders patients bedridden, and in certain cases requiring instrumental support.'

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📖 (8 Apr 2021 ~ St. Luke's Health) Connections Between COVID-19 and Stroke You Need to Know ➤

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📖 (23 Mar 2021 ~ Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology) Persistent neurologic symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in non-hospitalized Covid-19 "long haulers" ➤

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📖 (1 Mar 2021 ~ Hospital Practice) SARS-CoV-2 invasion of the central nervous: a brief review ➤

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📖 (15 Jan 2021 ~ European Journal of Nuclear Medicine) The cerebral network of COVID-19-related encephalopathy: a longitudinal voxel-based 18F-FDG-PET study ➤

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📖 (07 Jan 2021 ~ Reproductive Sciences) Testicular Atrophy and Hypothalamic Pathology in COVID-19: Possibility of the Incidence of Male Infertility and HPG Axis Abnormalities ➤

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