New Study Finds No Direct Link Between Long Covid And Brain Damage

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden has provided valuable insights into the mysterious condition known as long Covid. The study suggests that long Covid may not be directly linked to brain damage or ongoing viral infection, shedding light on the nature of this post-Covid condition.

The researchers conducted blood tests and collected blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples from 25 individuals who had confirmed long Covid, a condition characterized by symptoms persisting for months after the initial Covid-19 infection. Among these participants, six had fully recovered from their COVID-19 symptoms, while 17 were control subjects who had no history of the disease. The samples were gathered between February and November 2021 and were analyzed for 37 different biomarkers.

The findings of the study revealed no detectable SARS-CoV-2 virus in the collected samples, which were obtained at least three months after the onset of COVID-19 symptoms in those who had previously been infected. Furthermore, when examining blood and cerebrospinal fluid for markers of immune activation or brain injury, the researchers found no significant differences between the two groups.

These results suggest that long Covid may not be a consequence of ongoing infection, immune activation, or brain damage. Instead, the researchers propose that it is more likely a result of events occurring during the acute phase of COVID-19, rather than a persistent viral infection or chronic inflammation of the central nervous system.

However, the study emphasizes that the extent to which long Covid is related to the body's inflammatory response during the initial infection remains unclear. Many studies worldwide are currently investigating risk factors associated with long Covid.