Covid-19 spike proteins linger in the brain for years: Study

Scientists may finally know why Covid survivors may be struggling with persistent

Long Covid neurological symptoms

courtesy a latest study. It has been found that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein lingers in the brain and skull bone marrow for years after infection and may be fueling chronic inflammation and neurodegenerative disease in people who suffered from the infections years back.
Some of the neurological symptoms associated with long Covid are headache, insomnia, vertigo, delirium, PTSD, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, brain fog, difficulties in coordination (ataxia), loss of movement (bradykinesia), tremor, or sudden muscle twitching or jerking (myoclonus).
The study was conducted by researchers from Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU), and published in Cell Host & Microbe. The scientists found out that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can persist in the brain’s protective layers (the meninges) and the skull’s bone marrow for up to four years after infection. This may cause chronic inflammation and heighten the risk of

neurodegenerative diseases

like Alzheimer’s.
It also found that

mRNA COVID-19 vaccines

can lessen the spike protein buildup in the brain. Spike proteins that remain in the skull and meninges after infection could be tackled by new therapeutic approaches to mitigate their long-term effects.

Thanks to an AI-powered imaging technique developed by Prof. Ali Ertürk’s team, these new findings came. The method can enable the three-dimensional visualization of cellular structures, metabolites, and, in this case, viral proteins. It helped uncover previously undetectable distributions of spike protein in tissue samples from Covid-19 patients and mice.
The study brought to light significantly elevated concentrations of spike protein in the skull’s bone marrow and meninges, even years after infection. The spike protein binds to so-called ACE2 receptors, which are particularly high in these regions.

“This may make these tissues especially vulnerable to the long-term accumulation of spike protein,” explains Dr. Zhouyi Rong, the study’s first author. Ertürk adds, “Our data also suggest that

persistent spike protein

at the brain’s borders may contribute to the long-term neurological effects of COVID-19 and Long COVID. This includes accelerated brain aging, potentially leading to a loss of five to ten years of healthy brain function in affected individuals.”

Can vaccination decrease spike protein levels?

It was discovered that BioNTech/Pfizer mRNA Covid-19 vaccine significantly brings down the accumulation of spike protein in the brain. The vaccines however could only reduce 50% of spike protein in both brain tissue and the skull’s bone marrow leaving residual spike protein that could still pose a toxic risk to the brain.
“This reduction is an important step,” says Prof. Ertürk. “Our results, while derived from mouse models and only partially transferable to humans, point to the need for additional therapies and interventions to fully address the long-term burdens caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections.” Furthermore, additional studies are needed to evaluate the relevance of these findings for Long COVID patients.
“Our findings open new possibilities for diagnosing and treating the long-term neurological effects of COVID-19,” says Ertürk. Unlike brain tissue, the skull’s bone marrow and meninges – areas prone to spike protein accumulation – are more accessible for medical examinations.