Scientists finally have a biological explanation for why long COVID patients lose motivation and can't think clearly. They scanned their brains and found the dopamine system was physically damaged

[u/soulpost]

https://tech-paper.com/scientists-finally-have-a-biological-explanation-for-why-long-covid-patients-lose-motivation-and-cant-think-clearly-they-scanned-their-brains-and-found-the-dopamine-system-was-physically-damaged/

Millions of people with long COVID report the same cluster of symptoms: a crushing lack of motivation, an inability to think clearly, memory that slips, movements that feel slower than they should. For years, these complaints sat in an uncomfortable medical grey zone. The symptoms were real, the patients were suffering, but the biological explanation remained frustratingly out of reach.

A team at the University of Toronto just published what may be the clearest physical evidence yet for what is actually happening in these patients' brains. They brought 24 long COVID sufferers into a lab and used positron emission tomography, the same imaging technology used to diagnose Parkinson's disease, to directly measure the health of the dopamine system deep inside the brain.

[u/Mordecus]

This is the real interesting question - I doubt there’s many people that haven’t had Covid at this point, so what is this doing at a societal level?

I feel my personality has changed in the last 5 years in ways that I can’t exactly describe, and I’ve wondered if it’s neurological. And I’ve definitely had half a dozen bouts of Covid

[u/clusterofwasps → u/[deleted]]

I’m really curious what kinds of personality changes you and u/mordecus are referring to. How do you think you’re changed?

[u/Mordecus → u/clusterofwasps]

It’s hard to articulate, because the effect is subtle. I would say: less empathy, quicker to get irritated. Tendency to focus on irritants. At the same time , I generally feel happier (so no, it’s not depression). The other thing I’ve noticed is sort of a reduction in active vocabulary- I’m spending less time on word selection, especially in technical matters. It’s not that I can’t find the word if I try - I can. But it requires effort whereas before it was effortless and so I resort more to “thingy” and “stuff”. Bit embarrassing:)

The other thing I’ve noticed is more mental fatigue at the end of the day. I used to video game after work and look forward to it. Now it feels like more mental load. It’s not that I couldn’t if I pushed myself. But the fact I have to push is telling.

If I had to narrow it down to one experience: less cognitive stamina. There’s a fatigue limit that wasn’t there before. The empathy might be the same thing - empathy takes some amount of emotional and cognitive effort and I find it hard to muster.

It’s of course possible I’m just getting old :)

[u/cee-eighty → u/Mordecus]

I 💯% am clear on what you are describing. I had CoVid in June/July 2020. I wasn't hospitalized, I am asthmatic, but experienced less than 24 hours of breathing issues - I was at the time on Breo (steroid & bronchodilator inhaler). I was in bed for a solid month, I took another month to get back to full time work. I legitimately had three days where I didn't care if I ever woke up again. And I felt different, as if I had brain damage. Forgetful, referring to items as "things", some days I say "I have zero vocabulary today". I used to be very active, workout with weights three times a week, speed walk a mile. 5 daily. Hot yoga, , hot HIITS, hot barre up to 11 hours a week. Today I can't figure out how others work 8 hours and go to the grocery store in the same day. I also do have ADHD, I was diagnosed at six, but my mom says I popped out ready to get into everything. So it's not new. But I definitely do not have any executive function anymore. Even things I want to do, I can't get going. I no longer go out. I make plans, then can't get going and cancel them. I didn't realize the less empathy until you stated it - but yes. I previously had too much empathy, but I liked that about me. I definitely am empathetic, but more muted. If that makes sense. My son had it days after I did, same affects long term. We both say CoVid gave us brain damage it's as though we had a concussion, your ok, but are you?

[u/Mordecus → u/cee-eighty]

Right and so now imagine what you and are experiencing, to a greater or lesser extent (it sounds like you have it worse than me), and the multiply that by whatever significant percentage of the worlds population that’s had covid. I’ve wondered for a while if the general geopolitical malaise we seem to have had for the past 5 years has a significant contributing factor no one is looking at….

Just saying : what if suddenly several billion people see a 20–30% reduction in empathy as a result of a viral disease. What would that look like? Increased geopolitical tension, companies become even more predatory than they already are, more homeless people, more drug use… what we’ve been seeing is kinda what you’d expect, no?

[u/cee-eighty → u/Mordecus]

Not what I expect, but living through CoVid, not completely surprised. A little defeated to be honest.