A groundbreaking new study has revealed that Long Covid symptoms are caused by damage to the brain’s ‘control centre’ inflicted by the virus. The research, carried out by scientists from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, used ultra-high-resolution MRI scanners to examine the harmful effects of Covid-19 on the living brain in great detail.
The team scanned the brains of 30 individuals who were hospitalised with severe Covid-19 early in the pandemic, before vaccines were available. The study discovered that Covid-19 infection damaged the area of the brainstem associated with breathlessness, fatigue and anxiety. The brainstem, which connects the brain and the spinal cord, is responsible for controlling many basic life functions and reflexes.
The findings of the study, published in the journal Brain, will help scientists understand the long-term impacts of Covid-19 on the brain and the rest of the body. The high-powered MRI scanners used in the study, known as 7-Tesla or 7T scanners, can detect inflammation in the brain – including clusters of nerve cells in the brainstem, referred to as nuclei, which regulate and process vital bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate, pain and blood pressure, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Dr Catarina Rua of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences revealed insights from the study, stating: “Things happening in and around the brainstem are vital for quality of life, but it had been impossible to scan the inflammation of the brainstem nuclei in living people, because of their tiny size and difficult position. Usually, scientists only get a good look at the brainstem during post-mortem examinations.”
Her department colleague, Professor James Rowe, who co-led the research, added: “The brainstem is the critical junction box between our conscious selves and what is happening in our bodies. The ability to see and understand how the brainstem changes in response to Covid-19 will help explain and treat the long-term effects more effectively.”
During the initial onslaught of the pandemic, numerous patients were admitted to hospitals struggling to breathe, utterly exhausted, and enduring persistent chest pains. Experts have suggested that these severe symptoms could be attributed to significant brain damage in the brainstem, persisting long after the Covid-19 virus had cleared. Scientists observed that various regions within the brainstem appeared compromised, as if they had suffered brain inflammation.
“The fact that we see abnormalities in the parts of the brain associated with breathing strongly suggests that long-lasting symptoms are an effect of inflammation in the brainstem following Covid-19 infection,” Dr Rua stated. Prof Rowe added: “Mental health is intimately connected to brain health, and patients with the most marked immune response also showed higher levels of depression and anxiety. Changes in the brainstem caused by Covid-19 infection could also lead to poor mental health outcomes, because of the tight connection between physical and mental health.”
The study’s findings could potentially help in understanding other conditions associated with inflammation of the brainstem, such as MS and dementia. The scanners used in the research could also be employed to monitor the effectiveness of different treatments for brain diseases.