2. This is one of the new studies published this week (29 Feb 2024).
Researchers found that those with Long Covid had measurable memory & cognitive deficits equivalent to a difference of 6 IQ points which lasted for a year or more after infection.
4. This systematic review (published 27 Feb 2024) found that 44% of children with post-Covid neurological symptoms had abnormal neuroimaging findings, eg. ADEM-like lesions, encephalitic pattern, myelitis, transient splenial lesions & other anomalies.
5. Another recent study (published 22 Feb 2024) used dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI scans to demonstrate how Covid can disrupt the blood brain barrier, the shield that protects the nervous system making it ‘leaky’.
“Blood brain barrier disruption” may sound rather complex so here’s a brilliant video from @LolaGerms which helps explain the findings of that paper and translates exactly what it all means for you and your brain 🧠
6. This article was published on 1 February 2024 in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
It reviews some of the latest research on cognitive problems following Covid infection and includes some impactful quotes from patient members of the LOCOMOTION study.
8. This study (published July 2022) from @michelle_monje & @VirusesImmunity reviews how Covid can affect the brain and discusses possible neurobiological mechanisms which may be causing the cognitive symptoms experienced by Long Covid patients.
9. Here’s one of the authors of that study, Stanford neurologist @michelle_monje, describing how even mild Covid infections may lead to lingering problems with the brain, including brain fog, memory lapses and difficulties focusing.
Full video here:
🔗
10. This fascinating study from Brazil (published June 2022) found that 1 in 4 participants who had experienced a mild Covid infection demonstrated persistent cognitive deficits.
One of the tests in this study required participants to copy a complex geometric figure in order to evaluate cognitive functions such as fine-motor coordination, concentration, visuospatial perception & spatial orientation.
25% failed this test.
(10. Continued)
When researchers compared the results of brain scans with the drawings, it became evident that participants who had drawn the bad copies had increased volume of white matter on their MRIs, likely due to inflammation caused by Covid.
12. In this study (March 2022), researchers from Oxford Uni analysed MRI brain scans taken BEFORE & AFTER Covid infection from participants in the UK Biobank study.
Scans revealed that even mild Covid is associated with brain structure alterations.
15. In this study (published June 2023), researchers at The University of Queensland showed how Covid infection can cause brain cells to fuse, initiating malfunctions that lead to chronic neurological symptoms.
In the video below, the authors of the paper explain more about how their study was conducted using ‘mini brains’ created from stem cells to mimic the cells in the brain.
“In 10% of experimental conditions, neuronal activity completely stopped.”
16. The scary thing is that we’ve known about Covid’s ability to fuse brain cells for years.
This video from 2021 shows Covid cells (in red) invading the brain of a bat. After being infected, the brain cells begin to fuse with nearby cells until the entire mass bursts and dies.
18. This video actually dates back to before the Covid era (2018). In it, Jarred Younger PhD provides a detailed explanation of how inflammatory responses within your brain can cause symptoms like depression, anxiety, fatigue & cognitive dysfunction.
19. This huge study (published in Sept 2022) by Dr @zalaly analysed the neurologic outcomes of Covid infection at 1 year of 150k people vs 11m controls.
Results showed that those infected with Covid had a significantly higher risk of brain disorders.
24. Data from the US Census Bureau (Nov 2023) shows that more Americans (esp. adults aged 20-50) now have problems remembering, concentrating or making decisions than at any time in the last 15 years.
27. This article provides a fascinating insight into current research being conducted by neurologists which explores the striking similarities between Long Covid and post-concussion syndrome (‘Long Concussion’).
28. This excellent article in Bloomberg reviews the latest research into the profound impacts Covid can have on the brain, and explains why scientists are warning that it may be responsible for a wave of dementia.
30. New research from the University of Kentucky (Aug 2024) shows compelling evidence that the cognitive impairments observed in Long Covid patients share striking similarities with those seen in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
31. In this Italian study (Oct 2024), researchers used MRI scans & cognitive tests to examine brain structure & cognition in adolescents & young adults after mild Covid infection. They identified significant structural & functional changes in the brain.
Today, in honour of #LongCovidAwarenessDay, I’m sharing a series of short videos from Dr Rae Duncan (@Sunny_Rae1) about the ongoing impact of Long Covid.
1. WHAT IS LONG COVID?
Long Covid is a multi-systemic inflammatory condition that can affect almost every organ of the body.
Newly-appointed Health Minister @AshleyDalton_MP has just responded to a question from MP @_Chris_Coghlan.
Chris asks when the NHS IPC manual will be updated to reflect the latest science on AIRBORNE transmission.
Let’s take a closer look at Ashley’s reply…
The key bit is highlighted in yellow here:
“Should new evidence emerge that warrants updates, the guidance will be reviewed & revised accordingly by NHS England & UKHSA to ensure the highest standards of infection prevention & control are maintained across healthcare settings.”
Well @AshleyDalton_MP, new evidence HAS emerged.
It’s not even new news as we’ve known about it since 2020!
There’s not a single credible scientist who still denies that Covid is transmitted via the AIRBORNE route.
Please listen to independent expert witness Prof Beggs here ⬇️
I’ve been reflecting on this letter from Minister @GwynneMP ⬇️
The letter which says the government supports Dr Lisa Ritchie’s view that “Covid is not predominantly transmitted through the airborne route”.
I suspect there may be a little more to it than meets the eye… 🧐
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You see, here’s the thing:
Letters like that don’t get written in a vacuum.
Letters like that are usually drafted on behalf of Ministers by a civil servant who has expertise in the subject matter.
So I’m left wondering: who drafted it?
Who is advising Mr Gwynne?
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Dr Ritchie’s testimony at the Covid Inquiry has been widely criticised as her views conflicted so starkly with scientific evidence presented by independent experts like Prof Beggs.
So it seems odd that the letter is written in a way which so emphatically supports her stance.
In this video, I’ve compiled crucial evidence from expert witness Prof Clive Beggs where he confirms:
🔎 Covid is airborne
🔎 Covid is predominantly spread via airborne aerosols (not droplets)
🔎 Breathing & talking generate significant amounts of aerosols.
Here’s a little more detail from Prof Beggs’ testimony where he again confirms that the BULK of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is carried in the small airborne aerosols, NOT in the larger droplets which rapidly fall to the ground.
This is CRUCIAL for infection control purposes.
@CliveBeggs The role of those in charge of infection control in hospitals is to “translate scientific evidence […] into practical IPC guidelines”.
The scientific evidence is clear that Covid is AIRBORNE…
…so why does the IPC guidance STILL not protect against airborne transmission?
As Module 4 of the @CovidInquiryUK begins, attention turns to the Covid vaccines…
And it just happens that UKHSA’s annual accounts for 2023/24 have recently been published, revealing that a staggering £1.09 BILLION were wasted on unused vaccines during 2023/24.
🧵
For me, one of the most shocking things was in Autumn 2023, when the govt bought enough vax doses for ALL over-50s…
…but then decided to restrict eligibility, denying millions of people under the age of 65 the chance to be protected.