Canadian scientists have voiced the harm of long-term symptoms of COVID-19

According to data published in the journal eBioMedicine and retold by the portal versia.ru, patients with long-term effects of COVID-19 have a decrease in the density of dopamine nerve endings in certain areas of the brain. These pathological changes lead to memory impairment, slower motor reactions and decreased motivation.

The experiment involved 24 volunteers who had serious consequences after suffering from coronavirus. Assessment of the state of the dopamine system was carried out by positron emission tomography, which involves the use of a radioactive indicator to study tissues and organs. The results were compared with similar indicators in healthy individuals of the corresponding age. In patients with postcoid syndrome, a reduced density of nerve endings in the areas responsible for motor skills, motivational processes and memory was revealed.

The more pronounced the symptoms became in the form of memory impairment, inhibition of motor functions and a drop in activity, the more fluctuated the indicators of the dopamine system. Psychiatrist Jeffrey Meyer, from the Center for Brain Health Imaging in Canada, believes the findings indicate a loss of dopamine-producing neurons.

Researchers are analyzing various hypotheses that explain these changes. Possible factors are either the excessive destruction of synaptic connections that ensure the transmission of impulses by neurons, or the direct effect of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on dopaminergic cells.