Coronavirus comes with a wide-ranging health complications and a new study shows that the virus can enter the human brain through Nose. Once inside the brain, the virus impact the Central Nervous System that could lead to many neurological symptoms like loss of taste, smell, headache, nausea and fatigue.
The finding that the Coronavirus enters the brain through the nose will help in assessing and explaining some of the neurological symptoms in Covid 19 patients.
The researchers from Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Germany, published their findings n Nature Neuroscience Journal. They found that the Covid 19 Virus affects the CNS, resulting in many neurological complications.
The researchers were complicated on how the virus enters the brain. In the latest study, the researchers looked at nasopharnyx (upper part of the throat that connects to the nasal cavity). This is the place where viral infection first hits. The researchers analyses the brain of 33 patients (22 males and 11 females) who died of coronavirus.
The researchers found the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (genetic material of coronavirus) and protein in brain and nasopharynx. They found higher levels of viral RNA in the olfactory mucous membrane.
They also came across SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in some types of cells within the olfactory mucous layer. This showed the proximity of endothelial and nervous tissue to gain entry to the brain.
In some patients, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was traced in cells expressing markers of neurons. This suggested that olfactory sensory neurons might be infected and also the areas in brain that receive smell and taste signals. The virus was also found in other areas of the nervous system such as medulla oblongata , which controls primary respiratory and cardiovascular centre of the brain.
