Omicron is more harmful than imagined! "Nature" warns: "Chronic brain damage" can also occur in mild cases
Although most of the confirmed cases of Omicron are mild, the neurological sequelae of the brain caused by the infection may still cause serious consequences? Relevant studies have pointed out that infection with COVID-19 can cause brain inflammation and chronic hypoxia, and this does not occur in severe cases. Even patients with mild symptoms may be seriously affected. A recent report published in Nature stated that even “mild cerebral hypoxia” is enough to cause hypoxia and energy decline in the local central nervous system.
Does COVID-19 cause chronic cerebral hypoxia? Can asymptomatic infections also occur?
A research team from Tulane University in the United States constructed a model of primates infected with the new coronavirus to explore the impact of the virus on neural tissue. It was found that there are about 5 symptoms similar to those seen when humans are infected with the virus: obvious inflammation of the brain, neuronal damage and apoptosis, minor cerebral hemorrhage and chronic cerebral hypoxia. The above phenomenon is consistent with the autopsy reports of people who died from COVID-19.
Study author Tracy Fischer pointed out that in animal models and brain structure analysis scales, it can be found that a confirmed diagnosis will cause a decrease in oxygen received by the central nervous system, which may cause brain damage. In addition, even relatively mild neurological symptoms, such as dizziness and headaches, may be symptoms caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain.
It is worth mentioning that during infection with the new coronavirus, regardless of whether there are serious complications (such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease), the nervous system may be damaged to a certain extent, even in asymptomatic infections. Currently, nervous system damage is considered to be the longest-lasting and most severe complication of COVID-19.
The brain requires a high degree of metabolism and diagnosis may cause hypoxia to the central nervous system.
Fischer believes that most subjects have no obvious respiratory symptoms, so it is difficult to directly associate them with hypoxia in the brain. However, it is known from the results of animal experiments that chronic hypoxia or nerve inflammation in the brain, as well as reduced cerebral blood flow caused by acute minor cerebral hemorrhage, may be the main cause of damage to the human central nervous system.
Fischer said that the brain is an organ that requires a “high degree of metabolism.” By intervening in the metabolic process, glucose can produce “adenosine triphosphate” (ATP), which is used to store and deliver brain chemicals. However, infection with the new coronavirus may cause this damage, leading to hypoxia and failure of the central nervous system.
Fischer revealed that this also explains why the cerebrovascular disease of the elderly is more severe than that of ordinary people when they are infected with COVID-19. Since “aging” is the biggest risk factor for cerebrovascular disease, cerebrovascular function will gradually deteriorate with age. This also explains why the elderly suffering from COVID-19 are more likely to cause systemic inflammation and chronic hypoxia, and are also more likely to suffer from COVID-19. Brain damage and deterioration may occur.
In general, irreversible neuronal damage in the brain is one of the possible sequelae of the new coronavirus currently seen clinically. Although the proportion of brain damage in patients with mild cases is relatively mild, considering the potential impact, we should not take it lightly.
source:
Tulane study shows COVID-19’s lingering impacts on the brain
Neuropathology and virus in brain of SARS-CoV-2 infected non-human primates
Further reading:
Is the “4th dose” effective against Omicron? Israeli study says benefits may be ’trivial’
