Could fused neurons explain COVID-19’s ‘brain fog’?
Of all of COVID-19’s symptoms, one of the most troubling is “brain fog.” Victims report headache, trouble concentrating, and forgetfulness . Now, researchers have shown that SARS-CoV-2 can cause brain cells to fuse together, disrupting their communication. Although the study was only done in cells in a lab dish, some scientists say it could help explain one of the pandemic’s most confounding symptoms. “This is a first important step,” says Stefan Lichtenthaler, a biochemist at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases who was not involved with the work. Researchers already knew that SARS-CoV-2 could cause certain cells to fuse together. The lungs of patients who died from severe COVID-19 are often riddled with large, multicellular...