‘COVID infection can cause months-lasting brain injury’

London, Dec 23:Markers of brain injury continue to be present in the blood many months after Covid-19 infection, despite inflammation blood tests being normal, finds a study.

The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, identified ongoing brain injury markers in those who developed neurological complications during Covid-19.

During the Covid-19 pandemic it became apparent that neurological complications were occurring in a significant proportion of hospitalised patients and even in those with mild Covid-19 infection.

While some neurological 'symptoms' were often mild {headache and muscle aches (myalgia)}, it became clear that more significant and potentially life-changing new neurological 'complications' were occurring, including encephalitis (brain inflammation), seizures, and stroke, said researchers from the University of Liverpool in the UK.

The team analysed samples from over 800 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 from across England and Wales, half of whom with new neurological conditions.

The researchers measured brain injury markers, serum inflammatory proteins (cytokines), antibodies, and brain (neuroglial) injury proteins.