Role of Serotonin
Two characteristics were identified by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania as shared by patients with the persistent condition.
Defects in the feel-good hormone serotonin and residual virus in the intestines are observed in these individuals.
Although serotonin is frequently associated with the brain, it is worth noting that the intestine is responsible for producing 95 percent of the body’s serotonin.
In addition to its impact on mood, it is also essential for proper sleep, digestion, nausea management, wound healing, bone health, blood coagulation, and libido. All these functions have been compromised to varying degrees in patients with long-term Covid.
Residual Virus in Intestines
The blood of 58 patients who had been infected with long Covid for a maximum of 22 months was examined by the scientists.
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They compared this to the blood of sixty individuals in the earliest, most severe stage of Covid and thirty individuals who developed no symptoms following the infection.
One of the study’s primary authors, Maayan Levy, told the New York Times that the quantity of serotonin and other substances in the body changed immediately following Covid infection, as is the case with other viral infections as well.
Serotonin was the only significant molecule in the long Covid group whose levels returned to pre-infection levels.
Additionally, upon analyzing stool samples obtained from a subset of the long-term Covid patients, the researchers ascertained the presence of residual viral particles.
Viral “byproducts” stimulate the release of interferons, which are infection-fighting proteins, by the immune system.
The body’s ability to absorb tryptophan, an amino acid that aids intestinal serotonin production, is impaired by inflammation.
Coronavirus infections can cause blood clots, which can block serotonin circulation.
Impact on Memory
Low serotonin levels also affect the vagus nerve system, which sends brain signals to the body.
Since serotonin is also involved in short-term memory, the researchers postulated that reduced serotonin levels might contribute to the memory impairments associated with protracted Covid.
The study was published in the journal Cell on Monday.
Long Covid is the onset of extra virus-related symptoms three months after Covid-19 infection, according to the WHO.
The duration of these symptoms can range from months to years, leaving physicians frequently perplexed as to their origin.
Frustration, depression, cognitive impairment, and lethargy are a few of the numerous symptoms that comprise this condition.
Debates and Definitions
The CDC estimates that 7.5% of US adults have lengthy Covid.
However, lengthy debate remains regarding its actual magnitude and gravity. Multiple studies demonstrate that most people with the illness suffer the normal symptoms regardless of Covid status.
