A team of researchers from the University of Queensland has discovered that viruses like SARS-CoV-2 may cause brain cells to fuse, which results in chronic neurological symptoms.

While investigating how viruses impact the mechanisms of the brain, the team, led by Ramon Martinez-Marmol from the Queensland Brain Institute, observed that the infected neurons fused together. This resulted in either synchronized firing or complete lack of function, as per the study findings published within the journal Science Advances.

COVID-19 may cause confusion, lack of consciousness, seizures, stroke, lack of smell and taste, headaches, trouble focusing and even changes in a single’s behavior. Other effects on the brain can include severe infection, an exaggerated immune response, overall physiological disruptions and abnormal blood clotting, in accordance with Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Interestingly, the study sheds light on yet one more difficult condition that COVID-19 or other viruses bring forth.

Within the findings, study co-author Massimo Hilliard likened neurons to the wires connecting switches to kitchen and loo lights. When fusion occurs, each lights either activate together or stay off, disrupting their separate circuits.

This discovery provides a possible explanation for why people experience long-lasting neurological symptoms after viral infections. Martinez-Marmol noted that while cell death and inflammation are known outcomes of viruses entering the brain, the research pointed to a different potential issue: cell fusion in brain cells after contracting other viruses like HIV, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, measles, herpes simplex virus, and Zika virus can result in comparable issues inside the nervous system.

Researchers imagine this newly discovered mechanism provides vital insights into the event of neurological diseases and their associated symptoms, which usually are not well understood.

The study took on a collaborative approach, with experts like Lars Ittner, Yazi Ke, Giuseppe Balistreri, Kirsty Short and Frederic Meunier contributing to a comprehensive exploration of the subject at hand, in accordance with Science Blog.

Nervous System
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Published by Medicaldaily.com