How COVID-19 Hits the Brain

How COVID-19 Hits the Brain

A group of American scientists published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease a comprehensive study on the unfolding of COVID-19 in the nervous system. The researchers were able to define three stages that cause brain damage. The steps called NeuroCovid are:

• Virus damage is limited to epithelial cells in the nose and mouth, causing transient loss of smell and taste. Smell is regulated by the central nervous system and the study indicates that the virus is able to use the olfactory cavity to invade the nervous system, confusing and altering sensory processing that can even last for weeks after typical symptoms disappear.

• The coronavirus triggers an exaggerated inflammatory response called a cytokine storm that starts in the lungs, travels through blood vessels and, consequently, reaches all organs. This severe inflammation causes blood clots to form that cause small or large strokes in the brain.

• In the third phase, the cytokine storm is even more aggressive and damages the blood-brain barrier, the protective layer of gray matter. Blood, inflammatory markers and virus particles invade the brain, developing episodes of seizures, mental confusion, coma and even encephalopathy.

Studies by the Henry Ford Foundation in the United States have not yet identified whether encephalopathy is more severe with covid-19 than with other viruses. However, many cases have already been recorded in the United States and other countries that are still suffering from the large number of infected.

Cerebral venous thrombosis and Covid-19

Rodrigo Rodrigues was diagnosed with cerebral venous thrombosis, 15 days after the diagnosis of Covid-19. Cerebral venous thrombosis happens when a clot (called a thrombus) forms inside a vessel in the brain and stops the flow of blood to a certain region. The inflammation caused by the coronavirus damages the structures of blood vessels, increasing the risk of thrombosis that can affect organs such as the lungs and heart.

How the Treatment is Done

There is still no specific treatment for Covid-19. However, doctors perform traditional treatments for the unfolding conditions, seeking to slow down inflammation, thrombus formation and more serious conditions. In general, patients who have mild changes at all levels are monitored for a few months to identify long-term consequences. Neurologists around the world advise patients who have recovered from Covid-19 to exercise, eat healthy, reduce stress and improve sleep quality to combat the negative consequences of the disease and keep the brain young.