Ultra-powered MRI scans show damage to brain's 'control center' is behind long-lasting COVID-19 symptoms

Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford used ultra-powered 7-Tesla MRI scanners to examine the brains of patients severely affected by COVID-19. They found that damage to the brainstem, particularly in regions responsible for breathing and heart rate, was linked to long-lasting symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, and chest pain. This damage appeared to be the result of a neuroinflammatory response triggered by the virus.

The study scanned the brains of 30 people hospitalized with COVID-19 early in the pandemic, before vaccines were available. Abnormalities were found in the brainstem, which serves as the body’s "control center" for essential functions. The researchers were able to observe inflammation in tiny areas of the brainstem, something that was previously only possible through post-mortem studies.

In addition to physical symptoms, the study revealed psychiatric effects, such as higher levels of anxiety and depression, also linked to changes in the brainstem. The findings are significant in understanding long-COVID and may help in the treatment of other neurological conditions associated with inflammation, like multiple sclerosis and dementia.