New Study Sheds Light on Long COVID 19 - Immunity and Neurological Symptoms Explored

 

Summary : Scientists have uncovered vital discoveries in regards to Long Coronavirus, finding huge safe framework and sensory system changes that could make sense of the neurological side effects experienced by patients.

The review utilized profound phenotyping to analyze 12 patients with persevering neurological side effects, uncovering huge resistant framework changes, for example, lower levels of CD4+ and CD8+ Lymphocytes and expanded quantities of B cells and other safe cells. Moreover, anomalies in the autonomic sensory system were noticed, showing its contribution in Lengthy Coronavirus.

These advanced discoveries might give knowledge into diagnosing and treating Long Coronavirus later on.

Facts : 

1. Individuals with Long Coronavirus experience huge safe framework changes, including lower levels of CD4+ and CD8+ Lymphocytes, and expanded quantities of B cells and other insusceptible cells.
2. Autonomic testing in Lengthy Coronavirus patients showed irregularities in the control of vascular tone, pulse, and circulatory strain, demonstrating the contribution of the sensory system in Lengthy Coronavirus.
3. The discoveries recommend that the far and wide immunological and autonomic sensory system changes saw in Lengthy Coronavirus patients might add to the tireless neurological side effects experienced by these patients.

Source - NIH 

 Twelve people with persistent neurological symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection were intensely studied at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and were found to have differences in their immune cell profiles and autonomic dysfunction. These data inform future studies to help explain persistent neurological symptoms in Long COVID 19.

The findings, published in Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation(link is external), may lead to better diagnoses and new treatments.

People with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), which includes Long COVID, have a wide range of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, fever, headaches, sleep disturbances, and “brain fog,” or cognitive impairment. Such symptoms can last for months or longer after an initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fatigue and “brain fog” are among the most common and debilitating symptoms, and likely stem from nervous system dysfunction.

Scientists utilized a methodology called profound phenotyping to intently look at the clinical and organic highlights of Long Coronavirus in 12 individuals who had enduring, handicapping neurological side effects after Coronavirus. Most members had gentle side effects during their intense disease.

At the NIH Clinical Center, participants underwent comprehensive testing, which included a clinical exam, questionnaires, advanced brain imaging, blood and cerebrospinal fluid tests, and autonomic function tests.

The results showed that people with Long COVID had lower levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells—immune cells involved in coordinating the immune system’s response to viruses—compared to healthy controls. Researchers also found increases in the numbers of B cells and other types of immune cells, suggesting that immune dysregulation may play a role in mediating Long COVID 19.

Taken together, the findings add to growing evidence that widespread immunological and autonomic nervous system changes may contribute to Long COVID. Credit: Neuroscience News

Consistent with recent studies, people with Long COVID also had problems with their autonomic nervous system, which controls unconscious functions of the body such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.

 

Autonomic testing showed abnormalities in control of vascular tone, heart rate, and blood pressure with a change in posture. More research is needed to determine if these changes are related to fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and other lingering symptoms.

 

Taken together, the findings add to growing evidence that widespread immunological and autonomic nervous system changes may contribute to Long COVID. The results may help researchers better characterize the condition and explore possible therapeutic strategies, such as immunotherapy.

 

Funding: The study was supported by the Intramural Research Program at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and is part of an observational study taking place at the NIH Clinical Center designed to characterize changes in the brain and nervous system after COVID-19 (NCT04564287).

 

 

Author: Nina Lichtenberg

Source: NIH

Contact: Nina Lichtenberg – NIH

Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Article Rewriting  : Dushmantha Charaka