Northwestern University Study: COVID-19 Can Seriously Damage the Nervous System

The most recent evidence indicates that COVID-19 doesn’t only affect the respiratory system. It seems that it can attack other body organs too. For example, a new study conducted by researchers from the Northwestern University now says COVID-19 is a serious threat for the nervous system.

Some Severe Neurological Symptoms Were Experienced

This study looked at earlier research of people suffering from the new Coronavirus. What it discovered is that about 50% of the COVID-19 patients also experienced neurological symptoms like, dizziness, muscle pain, difficulties concentrating, decreased alertness, headaches, lost their sense of taste, smell and caused weakness. Other more significant neurological symptoms were strokes and seizures. Dr. Igor Koralnik, who led the new study and is a global neurology, also a neuro infectious diseases chief for Northwestern Medicine, said in a statement that:

“It’s important for the general public and physicians to be aware of this, because a SARS-COV-2 infection may present with neurologic symptoms initially, before any fever, cough or respiratory problems occur.”

COVID-19 Research Still Raising Many Questions

It’s more than clear that COVID-19 causes neurological symptoms, yet still remains as perplexing. It could be that by affecting the respiratory system, it causes the brain to not receive enough oxygen. At the same time, it may be that it generates inflammation in the nervous system to appear, and even cause brain infections. Either way, not too much is known how this new virus affects the nervous system. Researchers are committed to determine which treatments works best against the neurological symptoms that it causes.

Neuro-COVID Team of Researchers

Koralnik and a few of his colleagues have decided to form a research team called Neuro-COVID. They will perform studies on Coronavirus patients from the Northwestern Medicine hospital, by looking at their responses to different treatments. Koralnik is also going to monitor patients from his Neuro-COVID clinic, to see if the virus’s neurological symptoms are just temporary or rather permanent. His latest study was published in Annals of Neurology.