Long COVID Brain

You have either heard of or experienced first hand the “brain fog” associated with COVID-19 infection.  This disordered operation of thought and memory occurs during an active COVID-19 infection.  But what about later, down the road?  Do these issues persist? Is this Long COVID Brain?

The most comprehensive investigation of brain issues weeks after recovery from active COVID-19 was published in Nature (Douaud et al.)

These investigators performed brain scans on a 785 patients on two occasions.  Sometime after the first scan, 401 patients in this group tested positive for COVID-19.  The scientists compared the brain images before and after COVID-19 infection and compared these images with those obtained in 384 COVID-19-negative controls.  They reported structural changes in three main areas:

1. A decrease in the outer layer of brain (grey matter) densely filled with nerves most noticeable in the front of the brain and in a layer called the parahippocampal gyrus;
2. Signs of brain damage in the part of the brain connected to the olfactory nerve which is responsible for the sense of smell; and,
3. An overall decrease in the size of the brain.

In addition, they found a decrease in cognitive skills like computation, judgement and memory in those patients who tested positive and showed the changes in brain structure.

These cognitive changes have been reported previously (Taquet et al, Taquet et. al.).

How Does

Long COVID Brain

Affect

Brain Function?

In the Douaud et al. study, the investigators used a neuropsychological measure called the Trail Making test, which reflects a number of complex brain functions that together comprise Executive Functioning.  Executive functioning is essential for planning, organizing and executing tasks.  We don’t know yet how long these brain disorders last.

Wellivery and Long COVID Brain.

I will track and update this section of Wellivery.com to give you the best information about this topic.

What Causes

Long COVID Brain?

At least 2 major theories that have been proposed to explain the brain effects of Long COVID.  So far, the mechanisms that have been proposed have not been proven.  Getting the answer to this question will be a key component of understanding how to treat, prevent, and possible reverse Long COVID brain.

Wellivery and Long COVID

I have created a dedicated page about Long COVID as a launching point for exploring what we know about Long COVID, its cause, treatment, and longterm affects.