New Delhi: A recent study has revealed that damage to the brainstem, the brain’s central “control centre,” is responsible for the prolonged physical and psychological symptoms experienced by individuals after severe Covid-19 infection. The research, conducted by scientists from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, offers crucial insights into the lingering effects of the virus.
Using ultra-high-resolution brain scanners, the researchers examined 30 individuals who had been hospitalized with severe Covid-19 during the early phase of the pandemic. These advanced imaging techniques allowed them to observe changes in brain regions with remarkable precision. The findings, published in the journal Brain, detail how SARS-CoV-2 affects areas of the brainstem linked to symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, and anxiety.
“The brainstem acts as a critical junction between our conscious awareness and the body's functions,” explained Professor James Rowe, from Cambridge’s Department of Clinical Neurosciences, who co-led the study. “Understanding how COVID-19 alters the brainstem will enable us to better explain and treat the long-term effects of the virus,” he added.
Several patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 early in the pandemic reported persistent symptoms like extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, and chest pain long after their initial recovery. The researchers hypothesized that these lingering symptoms were related to lasting damage in specific brainstem nuclei, which regulate vital functions such as respiration and mood.
The study revealed abnormalities in multiple areas of the brainstem, including the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain. These abnormalities appeared several weeks after the patients had been admitted to the hospital and were indicative of a neuroinflammatory response. The affected regions are responsible for regulating breathing, which may explain the breathlessness reported by many survivors. Additionally, the brainstem changes were correlated with increased levels of anxiety and depression.
Dr. Catarina Rua, another researcher from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, emphasized that these effects were independent of age and gender. “They were more pronounced in those who experienced severe Covid-19,” Rua noted.
The team believes their findings not only provide insights into post-Covid conditions but could also help unravel other neurological disorders that involve brainstem inflammation, such as multiple sclerosis and dementia. By understanding the impact of Covid-19 on the brain, the research offers a potential pathway for developing treatments for these long-lasting symptoms and related conditions.