Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 09, 2026 20 hours, 27 minutes ago
Medical News: Silent Brain Impact After Infection
A team of Italian psychiatrists warns that the coronavirus leaves more than respiratory damage. Researchers from the University of Catania, Italy, the Psychiatry Unit, ASP Enna, Italy, and the Oasi Research Institute IRCCS, Troina, Italy, reviewed clinical evidence showing the virus can injure the hippocampus—the brain region needed for memory, decision-making, and emotional control. Their findings explain why many people continue to suffer brain fog, forgetfulness, exhaustion, and loss of motivation long after recovering from the infection.
Scientists link lingering brain fog and apathy to hidden damage inside hippocampal support cells caused by COVID-19
This
Medical News report highlights how lingering cognitive and emotional symptoms may stem from biological disturbance and not simply stress, anxiety, or mood disorders linked to the pandemic.
How COVID-19 Reaches the Brain
The review describes several ways the virus gains access to the brain. One of the strongest theories shows SARS-CoV-2 traveling from the nose through the neural system linked to smell, then passing into deeper brain structures. Once inside the brain, it disrupts blood vessel linings, weakens the protective blood-brain barrier, and allows inflammatory molecules to flood brain tissue.
The hippocampus becomes a major casualty because it relies on constant repair and steady growth of new nerve cells—processes easily interrupted by inflammation.
Astrocytes at the Center of the Damage
Astrocytes are support cells that guide nutrients, remove waste, regulate neurotransmitters, and stabilize brain circuitry. The team found evidence that COVID infects these cells using gateways such as neuropilin-1, BSG/CD147, DPP4, and TMPRSS2, even when the familiar ACE2 receptor is scarce.
When astrocytes are infected, they stop removing excess glutamate—a chemical that becomes toxic at high levels. They also pump out inflammatory substances that ripple across surrounding networks, placing additional stress on neurons.
This cascade interrupts communication between regions responsible for memory, motivation, planning, and decision-making.
Why Patients Develop Dysexecutive Syndrome
Many people living with post-COVID symptoms struggle with mental exhaustion, apathy, and poor focus rather than classic depression. Doctors describe this pattern as dysexecutive syndrome, a condition in which individuals lose the ability to plan, multitask, organize, or sustain mental energy.
Brain scans show early hyperactivity caused by inflammation, followed months later by reduced metabolic activity in the hippocampus and connected regions. This pattern mirrors what patients describe: slow thinking, reduced drive, forgetfulness, and difficulty initiating tasks.
Clinical Implications
The authors emphasize that these lingering
symptoms are biological and measurable—not imagined. Mislabeling patients with ordinary depression risks delaying proper care. Treatments that support dopamine and norepinephrine, combined with cognitive rehabilitation, exercise, and sleep regulation, may work better than traditional serotonin-focused options.
Conclusion
The review clearly shows that COVID-19 can trigger genuine injury deep inside brain structures by infecting astrocytes, damaging the hippocampus, and weakening cognitive circuits. This hidden neurological toll explains why many patients face long-lasting problems with focus, planning, and motivation even after mild cases. Recognizing dysexecutive syndrome as a direct biological consequence of infection may reshape treatment and recovery. Future work must explore anti-inflammatory therapies and rehabilitation strategies that protect brain healing and help affected individuals regain confidence, independence, and mental clarity.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed Journal of Psychiatric Research.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022395626000075
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
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