Scientists have figured out how COVID-19 enters the brain

The virus enters the nerve cells in the olfactory mucosa

In addition to serious damage to the respiratory system, the coronavirus, penetrating the brain, inflicts a serious blow on the central nervous system. This was reported by scientists at the Humboldt University of Berlin in an article from the British journal Natural Neuroscience on Monday, November 30.

It is now known that the disease, in addition to the lungs, can affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system, as well as the central nervous system.

According to doctors, every third patient with coronavirus develops neurological symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, loss of smell and taste, as well as nausea and dizziness.

During the study, doctors examined tissue samples from 33 patients who died from the severe coronavirus. It turned out that COVID-19 enters the brain through the olfactory mucosa.

– Once inside the olfactory mucosa, the virus uses neuroanatomical connections such as the olfactory nerve. Our data show that the virus travels from nerve cell to nerve cell to reach the brain, the scientists noted.

Thus, scientists confirmed the assumption that loss of smell with covid is not a symptom of a cold or flu, which in these cases is accompanied by nasal congestion and profuse discharge, but brain damage.

The researchers also found evidence of the presence of the virus in the neuroanatomical structures connecting the eyes, mouth and nose to the brain stem. With the help of an electron microscope, they managed to get the first image of COVID-19.

Earlier it became known that scientists named the main disadvantage of the coronavirus vaccine. The thing is that the injection must be done twice. If a person does not come for a second injection, this will nullify the effectiveness of the vaccine.

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