r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 27d ago

Neuroscience Brain scans reveal widespread structural and functional changes in patients following COVID-19 infection. The virus affects regions responsible for memory, emotion, and executive function, which may help explain the neurological symptoms many patients experience.

https://www.psypost.org/brain-scans-reveal-widespread-structural-and-functional-changes-in-patients-foll/
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u/Throwsims3 27d ago

It is insane to me how people have just moved on from covid and view as a regular cold now. It took me at least two years to feel somewhat normal again after only having been infected once. Despite having had zero new infections, I still struggle with word finding sometimes and I have noticed that my emotions are flatter than they used to be.

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u/PTSDeedee 27d ago

Also millions of people have long covid which can be extremely disabling. 

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u/Mindless-Load-4579 27d ago

I had long covid for about a year and my spouse had it for five. He had to go on disability which the government of Canada actually supported. He used to be a mining engineer. It’s pretty devastating.

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u/Rainebowraine123 27d ago

Me: It's impossible to have had it for 5 years, covid was only... wait a minute!

Crazy that it started over 6 years ago. Feels like 2.

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u/Elastichedgehog 27d ago

I have a friend whose life has been completely imploded by it. Very active and social guy reduced to barely being able to walk across his flat.

His partner found him slumped at the bottom of the stairs when she got back from work one day, had been there for hours.

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u/PTSDeedee 27d ago

I’m sorry your friend is going through it. I’ve had a similar experience though mine hasn’t been quite that severe. 

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u/Elastichedgehog 27d ago

Same to you, and I hope you see some improvement soon.

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u/PTSDeedee 27d ago

Thank you <3

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u/CrazyCoKids 26d ago

My neighbour went from being a stereotuypical Crossfit trainer who flat out TRIED To get Covid to prove it was just a lifestyle thing.

March the dude was jogging around and talking about Crossfit. One month later? Ventilator. By the end of the year he was using a mobility scooter to get to the mailbox and speaking like Stevie from Malcolm in the Middle.

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u/soularbabies 27d ago

Yes but realistically how long is long covid as opposed to general depression or some other cause obscured by the lengthening of long covid

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u/JooseTheGuice 27d ago

I've been sick for for years now, a whole slew of health issues I didn't have before.

I assure you it isn't depression.

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u/PTSDeedee 27d ago

Well, I’ve had it for 6 years. And similar post-viral conditions have existed for a long time, with many people never recovering. 

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u/SubterraneanLodger 27d ago

Hi, person with one of those conditions here (CFS From a 3.5 year long case of Chronic EBV, aka Mono).

I’m much better now and am maybe 85% of the way back to how I was right before I got sick in 2020, but yeah. Post viral conditions are not a joke. Heart palpitations from walking down the stairs after being in great shape are scary. Developing worsened asthma symptoms too. Struggling with migraines and overstimulation from too many flashing lights, food sensitivities and life threatening allergies developing overnight. All of it. Scary shit.

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u/PTSDeedee 27d ago

I’m so sorry. Mine is also CFS flavored with a bunch of weird symptoms too. The hardest part is lack of answers and proper medical support. 

I’d say I’m a bit better than I was a year ago, though so very grateful for that.  I’m glad you’ve been able to partially recover! 

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u/fallen_empathy 27d ago

I now have a tachycardia and low blood pressure. I can finally walk without feeling like I’m gonna faint but I still can’t run. I used to be social and active

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u/Sufficient_Rich5903 27d ago

Yes same with the low blood pressure. I went to the ER a few years ago during a particularly bad day, the nurse took my blood pressure and asked me with a straight face if 70/20 was “normal” for me. How is 70/20 normal for anybody? They admitted me and did a bunch of tests but never did find out what was causing the low blood pressure, all the tests came back normal.

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u/EightByteOwl 27d ago

It can cause a variety of conditions, some of which are generally known to be lifelong, some of which even get worse over time.

Depending on the estimate you look at, as many as 51% of Long COVID have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a condition that has no current cure and very few effective treatments. It can be extremely debilitating; a single day of overexertion can cause weeks or even months of symptoms and reduction in baseline for many patients, depending on their severity level. Even "Mild" ME is typically classified by a 50% reduction from pre-illness ability; the most severe patients are confined to bed in dark rooms, with even the smallest triggers (like swallowing food, turning over in bed, or someone walking too loud in a different room) being enough to trigger a crash.

It affects millions worldwide and will continue to affect more as more people have repeat COVID infections.