COVID-19 Causes Brain Storm
Emerging shreds of evidence shed light on the role of COVID-19, causing cognitive effects, such as brain fog, and fatigue. The spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus often called the S1 protein - depicted as the red arms of the virus, crosses the blood-brain barrier in mice and enters the brain, causing them to release cytokines and inflammatory products, as per a study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
The spike protein is responsible for dictating which cells the virus can enter. These binding proteins by themselves can cause damage to the cells as they detach from the virus and cause inflammation.
Research strongly suggests COVID-19 virus enters the brain
A study published in Nature Neuroscience shows how spike protein crosses the blood-brain barrier
The S1 protein likely causes the brain to release inflammatory products causing a storm in the brain, researchers said. CREDIT Alice Gray
More and more evidence is coming out that people with COVID-19 are suffering from cognitive effects, such as brain fog and fatigue.
And researchers are discovering why. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, like many viruses before it, is bad news for the brain. In a study published Dec.16 in
Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that the spike protein, often depicted as the red arms of the virus, can cross the blood-brain barrier in mice.
What we know about the current status of digital vaccine passports
Itâs been less than one month since President Joe Biden took office, and at the top of his agenda are executive orders to better organize and track Covid-19 data to curb the pandemic. One possible solution thatâs been gaining more traction in recent days? Vaccine passports. If youâre unfamiliar with with the concept of a vaccine pass or passport, travel reporter Tariro Mzezewa of
1. What is a vaccine pass or passport?
A vaccination pass or passport is documentation proving that you have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
Montana State University will study what COVID-19 testing strategies are the most effective in underserved populations in Montana and Washington after receiving a federal grant.
The $1.8 million grant is part of a National Institutes of Health initiative to study the rapid acceleration of tests associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The universityâs Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity, or CAIRHE, will lead the two-year study in partnership with the University of Washington.
The $1.4 billion NIH program was started in the initial phases of the pandemic to help scale up testing across the country, according to the project description. A portion of those NIH dollars is specifically for underserved and vulnerable populations that are hardest hit by the virus.
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For safety’s sake, wear a mask if you’re inside with people you don’t live with.
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As Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s approach, many of us are looking forward to celebrating the season. But with cases of the novel coronavirus skyrocketing across the country, infectious disease experts are worried about the ramifications of holiday gatherings and travel.
“Our numbers of deaths and COVID-19 cases have never been so high and our hospitals have never been so stressed,” says Paul Pottinger, MD, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. “A lot of that is a direct consequence of people making poor decisions at Thanksgiving.”