A study by German scientists showed that coronavirus can enter the human brain after inhaling it through the nose and getting stuck in the nasal mucus. This is the first scientific evidence that the coronavirus can infect brain neurons through the mucous membrane.
During the pandemic, it became clear that the coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, was causing not only respiratory distress but neurological problems as well. For example, one in three patients report symptoms such as loss of smell or taste, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea. Scientists from Germany performed autopsies on 33 patients who died from COVID-19 and examined mucus in the back of the nose, above the mouth, where the throat connects to the nasal cavity, and brain tissue samples. The genetic material from the coronavirus was most abundant in nasal mucus, but the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins that protrude from the virus and are captured by human receptors to infect cells have also been found in the brain. How exactly the virus enters the brain from now on is still unknown, and experts say further research is needed to uncover the mystery.
The study, which was published Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience, also found that immune cells in the cerebral fluid are activated after infection. The presence of the virus in the nerve cells of the olfactory mucosa is a good explanation for neurological symptoms found in patients, such as loss of smell or taste, according to the team leader, Professor Heppner. Professor Heppner told MailOnline that the presence of the virus in such critical areas of the brain could also be the cause of delirium, which some patients have reported. Delirium is a condition in which people have difficulty thinking clearly and may experience hallucinations, agitation, or mood swings
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