Katharina Buczek
Within this same group, the researchers also discovered that antibodies had targeted some of the body’s own cells due to the excessive immune response.
“We suspect that these antibodies cross the porous blood-brain barrier into the brain, where they cause damage,” explained Gregor Hutter, the study’s lead author.
Afterward, the team took their research one step further by investigating whether or not neurological symptom severity could also be detectable in brain structures. And interestingly, they found that people who suffered from more severe neuro-COVID symptoms did have lower brain volume in certain regions of the brain as compared to healthy individuals.
This was particularly evident within the olfactory cortex, or the region of the brain that is responsible for sense of smell.
So, now that the researchers were able to identify a link between certain molecules in blood and cerebrospinal fluid with a severe immune response and reduced brain volume, the team believes it is critical to examine these biomarkers among a larger participant pool.
Their goal is to develop a blood test that would be able to predict serious cases of illness– such as long COVID and neuro-COVID– from the beginning of a COVID-19 infection. At the same time, these biomarkers also provide hope for the creation of drugs that could possibly prevent consequential damage caused by COVID-19.
More specifically, one of the biomarkers– factor MCP-3– plays a critical role in the excessive immune response. In turn, Hutter believes that inhibiting this factor could be a potential preventative treatment option. To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in Nature Communications, visit the link here.
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