Can COVID-19 ‘Fuse’ Your Brain Cells?

Highlights:

Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 have caused neurological problems like brain fog and forgetfulness
A recent study has found that the answer to this could be the fusing of brain cells //
Other viruses could also be doing the same and this study paves the way for further research

COVID-19 has caused a host of issues. From the loss of smell and taste to more serious ones like increasing the chances of heart disease and depression.

One of the most interesting discoveries that scientists at the University of Queensland have made is that brain cells can fuse due to viruses like SARS-CoV-2, causing abnormalities that result in long-lasting neurological symptoms.

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‘Neurological symptoms of long COVID explained! Brain cell fusion could be the answer. #COVID’

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The Queensland Brain Institute's Professor Massimo Hilliard and Dr. Ramon Martinez-Marmol have studied how viruses affect the neurological system.

The COVID-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2, has been found in the brains of patients with 'long COVID’ months after their first infection ().

COVID-19 can Cause Fusion of Brain Cells

“We discovered COVID-19 causes neurons to undergo a cell fusion process, which has not been seen before,” Professor Hilliard said.

“After neuronal infection with SARS-CoV-2, the spike S protein becomes present in neurons, and once neurons fuse, they don’t die.”

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“They either start firing synchronously, or they stop functioning altogether.”

As an analogy, Professor Hilliard likened the role of neurons to that of wires connecting switches to the lights in a kitchen and a bathroom.

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“Once fusion takes place, each switch either turns on both the kitchen and bathroom lights at the same time, or neither of them,” he said.

“It’s bad news for the two independent circuits.”

Neurological Effects of COVID-19: Fusion of Brain Cells Could be the Answer

The discovery offers a potential explanation for persistent neurological effects after a viral infection.

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“In the current understanding of what happens when a virus enters the brain, there are two outcomes: either cell death or inflammation,” Dr. Martinez-Marmol said.

“But we’ve shown a third possible outcome, which is neuronal fusion.”

Numerous viruses, according to Dr. Martinez-Marmol, induce cell fusion in other tissues while also infecting the neurological system and may be responsible for the same issue there.

“These viruses include HIV, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, measles, herpes simplex virus, and Zika virus,” he said.

“Our research reveals a new mechanism for the neurological events that happen during a viral infection.”

“This is potentially a major cause of neurological diseases and clinical symptoms that is still unexplored.”

Reference:

SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral fusogens cause neuronal and glial fusion that compromises neuronal activity - (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adg2248)

Source-Medindia