Scientists might have found secret cause of long Covid's dreaded 'brain fog'

25 February 2024 , 09:14

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Confusion in some patients with long Covid is caused by 'disruption to blood vessels in the brain' (Image: Getty Images)

Brain fog among long Covid patients is 'likely caused by leaky blood vessels in the brain', a new study of the disease has found.

Irish researchers discovered the confusion and cognitive decline in some patients battling longer lasting effects of the virus can be caused by disruption to blood vessels in the brain. There have been 200 reported symptoms to date where patients report lingering symptoms. They include such fatigue, shortness of breath, problems with memory and thinking and joint or muscle pain.

Scientists from Trinity College Dublin say long Covid has become a major public health issue since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020. Of these patients suffering from long Covid, just under 50% report some form of lingering neurological effect such as cognitive decline, fatigue and brain fog.

Symptoms of long Covid include fatigue, shortness of breath, problems with memory and thinking and joint or muscle pain (Getty Images)

The study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, revealed there was disruption to the integrity of the blood vessels in the brains of patients suffering from long Covid and brain fog. This blood vessel “leakiness” was able to distinguish those with brain fog and cognitive decline compared to patients suffering from long Covid without brain fog.

Professor Matthew Campbell said: “For the first time, we have been able to show that leaky blood vessels in the human brain, in tandem with a hyperactive immune system may be the key drivers of brain fog associated with long Covid. This is critically important, as understanding the underlying cause of these conditions will allow us to develop targeted therapies for patients in the future.”

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The team also uncovered a novel form of MRI scan that shows how long Covid can affect the human brain’s delicate network of blood vessels. They hope their findings will help medical professionals better care for long Covid patients experiencing symptoms.

Professor Colin Doherty said: “Undertaking this complicated clinical research study at a time of national crisis and when our hospital system was under severe pressure is a testament to the skill and resource of our medical trainees and staff. The findings will now likely change the landscape of how we understand and treat post-viral neurological conditions.”

Scientists say long Covid has become a major public health issue since the 2020 pandemic (Getty Images)

The scientists note that further research is needed on the subject, and hope their findings will help with long Covid and also other types of viral infection.

Dr Chris Greene, author of the study added: “Our findings have now set the stage for further studies examining the molecular events that lead to post-viral fatigue and brain fog. Without doubt, similar mechanisms are at play across many disparate types of viral infection and we are now tantalisingly close to understanding how and why they cause neurological dysfunction in patients.”

Graeme Murray