this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2025
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We Just Got More Evidence That Long COVID Is a Brain Injury

The exact nature of long COVID is still coming to light, but we just got some of the best evidence yet that this debilitating condition stems from a brain injury.

Using high-resolution scanners, researchers at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford have shown microscopic, structural abnormalities in the brainstems of those recovering from COVID-19.

Signs of brain inflammation were present up to 18 months after first contracting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

"We show that the brainstem is a site of vulnerability to long-term effects of COVID-19, with persistent changes evident in the months after hospitalization," the authors of the study conclude.

https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awae215

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 hour ago (3 children)

Look, I know this isn't exactly the most appropriate community to post a comment like this. I do however need to say as someone that has had debilitating brain fog for a couple of years thanks to covid: "...fuck."

[–] [email protected] 4 points 36 minutes ago* (last edited 35 minutes ago)

It sucks but the recovery is still possible. I imagine gaslighting and not taking it seriously by people is debilitating.

When you suffer a brain injury from a stroke everyone will be supportive and offer help but when it is long covid people will be like “what? you are probably imagining things” both aliments are recoverable but it must suck to be constantly denied and not treated seriously

[–] [email protected] 2 points 44 minutes ago (1 children)

That makes 2 of us. Been living with brain fog, memory loss, inability to pick out words when speaking, and now I set something down on a countertop, turn around, turn back and look and I literally can't see the item I set there. I see everything else, even the countertop where the item is sitting. Generally I either panic or I get pissed at myself for being so stupid. And then all of a sudden, the item magically returns to view as a stare at it.

Oh, and just for fun, breathing is still hard. And all medical testing shows my lungs are just fine and there should be problem. My pulmonologist tells me I'm one of the lucky few to be so chosen-- in jest. (I had to search "lung doctor" because I couldn't remember the word pulmonologist just now)

[–] [email protected] 9 points 55 minutes ago* (last edited 55 minutes ago)

You're fine, it's anecdotal but perspectives are still nice to see sometimes. Quite a few people around me had the same issue, a few died. (Yes, they had refused the vaccine)

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 hour ago

I believe the signs have always pointed to it being a one-two punch of lingering inflammation and actual lasting physical damage to the blood vessels, including in the brain. The fatigue symptoms dissipated for me after about a year, but the inability to focus and the shite memory has not and likely will not go away. Also my muscles got fucked by the rhabdo and my EDS got much worse, but hey…

Every new piece of scholarly evidence is good to have.

[–] [email protected] 80 points 7 hours ago (4 children)

Better not get vaccinated, because the vaccine kills you and covid is just another harmless flu anyway… oh wait.

Seriously though, antivaxxers already have some sort of psychological issues going on, so adding a literal brain injury to the list might not even make a big difference at that point.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

Things can always be worse.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

COVID makes you dumber, but what happens if you start out dumb?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 minutes ago

The current administration awards you a place in office.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 hour ago

Even lower intelligence score? As far as D&D rules are concerned, you would get knocked unconscious if your intelligence drops to zero.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

I went looking for data, because my knee-jerk was to assume people who get vaccinated are more likely to live, and thus more likely to get long covid.

But here's what I found. The researchers found that the rate of new Long COVID cases declined with each variant, and that the numbers of cases were significantly lower in the vaccinated cohorts.

I'm just adding to the discourse.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 44 minutes ago

Indeed! Too bad facts don’t work when talking to conspiracy theorists. Regardless, that’s an interesting observation to the rest of us.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Well yeah, that's where the chip goes

[–] [email protected] 25 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I prefer consuming chips orally. Potato or paint, I'm easy.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 20 minutes ago

Hmmmm lead based paint....