STAY STRONG
The Nervous System & COVID-19
How does COVID-19 impact the nervous system?
The coronavirus is a very complex disease,
that affects many organ systems,
including what we call the cental nervous system,
or the brain and spine.
While we still have much to learn about
the specific mechanisms by which the virus affects
the central nervous system,
we have experienced many patients,
as many as a third to 50%,
with some neurologic manifestation.
Anything from headache to fatigue,
all the way to severe effects such as
coma and even death.
One of the mechanisms that's becoming more clear
is what we call a hypercoagulable state,
caused by the virus,
or an increase in the blood's likelihood
to form blood clots,
and these can lead to strokes.
This is a severe manifestation of coronavirus,
and fortunately it only happens in a small percentage
of patients.
But, if a patient experiences stroke-like symptoms,
anything from changes in vision,
to trouble speaking, to unilateral weakness,
it is very important to seek immediate
emergency medical attention, and call 911.
Why are some people with COVID-19 losing their sense of taste and smell?
One of the more common symptoms
that's becoming apparent in coronavirus patients
is a loss of smell and taste.
While the direct mechanism of how the virus
is causing this, remains unclear,
we are starting to understand that
the virus seems to affect both the respiratory mucosa,
or the inner lining of your nasal passages,
as well as the nerve cells that conduct
your sense of smell to your brain.
When the virus affects these structures,
it can inhibit the ability of these neurons
to transmit the sensation of smell to the brain.
And this, in turn, can affect the person's ability to taste,
because taste and smell are integrally, are related.
The good news is that most patients, in our experience,
seem to regain their sense of taste and smell with time.
The time in which this happens varies.
Some people regain it rather quickly,
some it takes considerably longer.
And it does seem that some patients
report a lasting deficit in their ability to smell.
But the real long-term effects
are still under investigation.
Are there long-term effects of neurological issues and COVID-19?
The longterm effects of coronavirus
on the central nervous system
remain uncertain and under investigation.
It's unclear, at present,
whether patients who were exposed to the virus
became ill and got better,
or were exposed to the virus and never developed symptoms,
will eventually go on to have longterm
neurologic effects of the virus.
We do know, however, that,
the smaller percentage of patients
who were exposed to the virus and developed strokes
because of the virus, can have lasting symptoms.
However, as with stroke in general,
the sooner the patient presents to the emergency department
for treatment,
the better chance of an improved longterm outcome.
What research is Montefiore conducting on the impact of COVID-19 on the nervous system?
Here at Montefiore,
we are developing several lines of research
that will evaluate whether the coronavirus
has lasting effects on the central nervous system.
Specifically, we are constructing several registries
of coronavirus patients,
that will follow the patients clinically
and with imaging over time,
to evaluate for any lasting or longterm effects
of coronavirus.
And if these are discovered,
we will investigate the best ways to manage them over time.