How Coronavirus Affects the Brain

Covid-19 infection can be associated with mild or severe neurological symptoms. A research team has studied the effects on the brain

(photo: Andrew Brookes via Getty Images) By now we know, the new coronavirus not only attacks the lungs, but many other organs, including the heart, brain, liver, skin , kidneys . Some studies have shown that neurological symptoms of various kinds can occur in the brain, from mild ones, such as headache, to serious diseases such as encephalopathies and acute events such as stroke. Today, research confirms the possible development of neurological symptoms and reveals for the first time a mechanism by which Sars-Cov-2 manages to invade the brains of some more serious patients. The study, conducted by Yale University, is still not peer-reviewed and available in preprint on bioRxiv.

Infection can affect the brain

Covid-19 infection can lead to a simple headache or other transient symptoms, but there are also cases - rare - in which the complications are more serious. Brain infection is rare and affects only some patients with very severe Covid-19, but it should not be ruled out, especially in people who have a high viral load or are more genetically susceptible.

So far the the presence of a possible brain involvement has been documented, but there is no agreement among scientists on how this occurs and what the actual consequences are on the central nervous system. To better understand these processes, the researchers used three different approaches: the use of human brain organoids, the study in a mouse animal model and on patients who died through autopsy.