The largest Brazilian research on the impact of Covid-19 on the brain indicates that there are neurological problems even in those who have had mild symptoms | Campinas and the region

at CampinasThe study was conducted by the Neuroproteins Laboratory in unicamp. According to the researchers, this is the largest research conducted in Brazil to understand the mechanism of Covid-19 infection in the brain. In all, 80 researchers participated.

At Hospital de Clínicas (HC) in unicamp 81 MRI scans of patients who had developed mild symptoms of the disease about two months before the examination and who complained of neurological problems were analyzed.

In general, the scans identified atrophy in the frontal region of the brain, a fact that surprised scientists. This brain region is responsible for attention and thinking.

The professor of neurology at the Faculty of Medicine stressed, “We did not expect to see atrophy in a group of patients who were not admitted to the hospital in such a short period… for us, it was a surprise.” unicamp Clarissa Yasuda.

The researcher said that patients, even with mild symptoms, have complaints related to anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment. In some cases, there are reports of memory loss and rapid brain processing.

“Complaints of fatigue, drowsiness, headache, symptoms of anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment predominate. Language, from finding words.”

Neuroscientist at unicampÍtalo Aventurato explained that the areas of the brain responsible for thinking and attention function in an exaggerated manner in the Covid-19 patients studied in the research.

“People with Covid-19 seem to have a hard time adjusting their emotions. These feelings end up reproducing abnormally in the brain, leading to the symptoms of depression and anxiety that we often see in patients.”

Covid-19 target in the brain: astrocytes

The work also examined brain tissue from people who died of Covid-19 and analyzed the materials produced with stem cells. Cross-referencing the information led scientists to discover that astrocytes are the preferred cells for disease.

According to the researchers, astrocytes are astrocytes that support neurons. For comparison, these cells act as fuel pumps for neurons, the most important components of the brain.

The researchers explained that neurons are on all the time, including during sleep. That’s why they need a constant supply. This is the importance of astrocytes.

study unicamp She determined that the Covid-19 virus directly interferes with this nerve cell’s energy source, impairing its functioning. The effect may be neuronal death provided by an injured astrocyte.

Explains the coordinator of the Neuroproteins Laboratory atthe onlyMaboutDaniel Martins de Souza.

“This means, in a way, that infection of astrocytes with the novel coronavirus, by SARS-CoV-2, produces a toxic environment for neurons that can lead to their death,” he added.

searching for unicamp in partnership with USP It has been submitted to an international scholarly publication and served as a reference for other works abroad.

With evidence of where the infection occurred, scientists are now focusing on the virus’s mechanism of action to develop strategies to combat the consequences.

“We have observed that many people have had neurological symptoms longer than Covid-19 in the body itself. So understanding how the dynamics of the virus in the brain could eventually help prevent consequences or even help treat people who have caused neurological symptoms. about an infection of this kind,” Souza added.