What underlies these experiences is still unclear, although they may also stem from the body-wide inflammation that can go along with COVID-19. One symptom-or set of symptoms-that illustrates this puzzle and has gained increasing attention is an imprecise diagnosis called “brain fog.” Even after their main symptoms have abated, it is not uncommon for COVID-19 patients to experience memory loss, confusion and other mental fuzziness. Some neurological symptoms are far less serious yet seem, if anything, more perplexing. Once the immune system kicks into overdrive, the effects can be far-ranging, even leading immune cells to invade the brain, where they can wreak havoc. The question remains as to whether it does so routinely or only in the most severe cases. Some studies-including a recent preprint paper examining mouse and human brain tissue-show evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can get into nerve cells and the brain. Can immune system activation alone produce symptoms? Or does the novel coronavirus directly attack the nervous system? But the way it actually affects nerve cells still remains a bit of a mystery. The virus has undeniable neurological effects. In severe cases, COVID-19 can also lead to encephalitis or stroke. Patients complain of headaches, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and “brain fog,” or loss of taste and smell-all of which can last from weeks to months after infection. Many of the symptoms experienced by people infected with SARS-CoV-2 involve the nervous system.
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