brainstem inflammation may be linked to symptoms

Patients who have developed a severe form of Covid-19 are more likely to have persistent symptoms even after the infection has healed. Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found the origin of the physical and psychological disorders of long covid. In an article published in my journal Brainthey point to inflammation of the brainstem. It is a part of the central nervous system that controls many functions such as breathing or heart rate.

Covid: the brainstem at the heart of long-term symptoms

Until now, scientists could only closely observe the brain stem during post-mortem examinations. Which limited the research. But that has changed with a new, very powerful scanner, called MRI 7 Tesla (or 7T). Using the device, the team was able to analyze this region of the brain of 30 people who were hospitalized for a severe form of Covid-19 at the start of the epidemic. These unvaccinated patients reported having long-term symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain.

“The brainstem is the critical junction between our conscious self and what is happening in our body“, explains Professor James Rowe, co-director of the study in a press release. “The ability to see and understand how the brainstem changes in response to Covid-19 will help explain and treat long-term effects more effectively.”

And the team, in fact, made discoveries in the patients followed: several regions of the brain stem, in particular the medulla oblongata, the pons and the midbrain, presented abnormalities compatible with a neuro-inflammatory response. These appeared several weeks after admission to hospital, and in areas of the brain responsible for controlling breathing.

“The fact that we are seeing abnormalities in parts of the brain associated with breathing strongly suggests that the long-lasting symptoms are an effect of brainstem inflammation after Covid-19 infection.”adds first author Dr Catarina Rua. “These effects go beyond the effects of age and sex, and are more pronounced in those who had severe Covid-19.

Long Covid: evidence explaining psychological disorders

During this study, which is based on the 7T, the researchers also found elements that could explain the psychological disorders reported by people suffering from long covid. “Mental health is closely linked to brain health, and patients with the strongest immune response showed higher levels of depression and anxiety.”explains Professor Rowe. “Changes in the brainstem caused by Covid-19 infection could lead to poor mental health outcomes, due to the close link between physical and mental health”estimates the expert.

Faced with the brainstem data obtained with high-tech MRI, the team argues that the results could help understand other conditions associated with brainstem inflammation such as multiple sclerosis and dementia.