03:44 PM
Saturday 07 November 2020
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Agencies
Scientists from France and Spain analyzed the published scientific articles on the effect of the coronavirus on the central nervous system, and it became clear to them that delirium accompanied by high fever can be considered a symptom of “Covid-19”.
The Journal of Clinical Immunology and Immunotherapy reports that the majority of studies on the coronavirus focus on its impact on the lungs, heart and kidneys. However, there is ample evidence indicating that the virus affects the central nervous system, causing headaches and changes in cognitive functions, according to the “Russia Today” website.
Scientists at the Open University of Catalonia in Spain and Bordeaux University in France have reached the conclusion that delirium is one of these changes, along with the loss of the sense of smell and taste. So it can be considered an early sign of infection with the coronavirus.
Delirium is a psychological disorder accompanied by confusion and lack of attention. It is often noticed when a temperature rises as a result of infection with “Covid-19”, especially in the elderly, before the onset of cough and shortness of breath.
Researcher Javier Correa, of the Open University of Catalonia, describes delirium as “a state of confusion in which a person feels detached from reality as if in a dream.” So we must be vigilant in the pandemic period, because this case may indicate a coronavirus infection.
The basic hypotheses explaining the effect of SARS-CoV-2 indicate three possible causes: hypoxia, or insufficient oxygen supply to neurons; Inflammation of brain tissue due to a cytokine storm; The virus penetrates the blood-brain barrier. Any of these three factors can trigger delirium.
The researchers point out that when autopsy of patients who died from “Covid-19”, evidence is often discovered that indicates brain damage associated with hypoxia. According to them, hypoxia is likely to be the cause of delirium, cognitive impairment, behavioral disturbance, inflammation of nerve tissue and brain damage in areas responsible for cognitive function and behavior, such as the hippocampus.
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