A recent study has provided the first concrete evidence linking the debilitating "brain fog" experienced by millions of long COVID patients to changes in the brain, including inflammation and a compromised ability to rewire itself after infection.The small-scale study, conducted by researchers at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Michigan State University, found that alterations in two key brain chemicals could be driving these cognitive issues, according to United Press International. The research is particularly significant as it offers scientific validation for the approximately 12 million long COVID patients in the United States who have reported neurological symptoms without prior medical proof.Researchers examined biomarkers in 17 COVID-19 patients, including 10 who still experienced symptoms six months after contracting the virus. Participants who reported brain fog exhibited elevated levels of an anti-inflammatory protein critical to regulating the immune system and lower levels of nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein essential for the brain’s plasticity.Brain plasticity refers to the organ’s ability to adapt, reorganize, and heal itself following illness or injury. The National Library of Medicine explains that this process involves the brain adjusting its structure, functions, or connections to accommodate changes brought on by conditions like long COVID.One of the study's co-authors, Dr. Bengt Arnetz, emphasized the importance of the findings. “We found biological changes, which I think is a very big strength for this study,” he said. He added that the suppression of NGF in long COVID patients is consistent with findings from neuro-cognitive tests.During the study, participants underwent various psychological assessments, with most tests showing unremarkable results except for the "letter fluency" test, which measures executive functioning under time constraints. Clinical neuropsychologist Michael Lawrence, another co-author, explained that the test involves generating words starting with a specific letter or naming items within a category, such as fruits or animals. Participants with long COVID struggled more with this task, suggesting impairments in executive function, memory, and language.Lawrence noted that the results provide objective findings that align with the symptoms long COVID patients have been reporting. “Now we have some objective findings that really confirm what patients are describing and feeling,” he said.Identifying these biomarkers could aid in developing targeted, multidisciplinary treatments for long COVID symptoms, Lawrence added. He emphasized the need for a holistic approach to treatment, noting that addressing mental health symptoms can also alleviate physical symptoms like pain and fatigue. "We really need to treat the whole person, but we need to treat it early," he said.
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