Damage to the brainstem could be responsible for symptoms of long Covid, such as breathlessness and fatigue , a study has suggested. Powerful MRI scanners were used to examine patients who had been admitted to hospital with Covid-19 , which showed “long-lasting brain changes”. This was “likely caused by an immune response to the virus”, researchers said.
People with Covid-19 usually feel better within a few days or weeks, although for some people symptoms can last longer. The condition, also known as long Covid, can cause extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, brain fog, dizziness, heart palpitations and muscle aches. Scientists at the University of Cambridge used ultra high-resolution scanners, known as 7-Tesla or 7T scanners, that show the living brain in fine detail.
Dr Catarina Rua, of the university’s department of clinical neurosciences, said: “Things happening in and around the brainstem are vital for quality of life, but it had been impossible to scan inflammation of brainstem nuclei in living people, because of their tiny size and difficult position. “Usually, scientists only get a good look at the brainstem during post-mortem examinations.” The team scanned the brains of 30 patients with Covid-19 who had been admitted to hospital with Covid-19 during the pandemic.
Their results were compared with the scans of 51 people with no history of infection. The results showed multiple regions of the brainstem, which connects the brain and spinal cord and reg.