An American study based on a few cases makes this assumption. To respond to the coronavirus, the antibodies produced by the body mistakenly target the cells that make up the blood-brain barrier.
A new discovery that could explain the long-term effects of Covid 19 was published on Tuesday July 5 in Brain magazine. According to a study by American researchers and based on a small number of cases, the sLong Covid Symptoms could be caused by the immune system reacting to the virus. The latter damages the blood vessels of the brain and could explain the lasting effects such as migraines, chronic fatigue, loss of taste and smell or sleep problems.
Nine people who contracted the coronavirus died quickly. Their brains were studied in order to carry out this American study. “The team of researchers from the American Institutes of Health (NIH) did not detect traces of virus in the brain but, conversely, antibodies, causing damage to the walls of blood vessels which in particular cause inflammation. according to AFP information relayed by France info.
Treatments are being considered in the future
Aged 24 to 73 years, the brains of the nine patients were compared to ten others from a control group. The researchers observed neuronal inflammation and the immune response. According to them, the antibodies produced to defend against Covid-19 mistakenly targeted the cells that make up the blood-brain barrier. It is a structure that sits around blood vessels in the brain and tries to block foreign substances.
Degradation caused by antibodies can in turn “lead to protein leaks, bleeding and blood clots, which increases the risk of stroke”. This leakage can also trigger an immune response in an effort to repair damaged cells, which ultimately causes inflammation. These discovered elements will serve as avenues for future treatments.