A team of researchers from Columbia University and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in the United States found that the coronavirus can destroy dopamine neurons in the brain. Research results published In the journal Cell Stem Cell.
In the research, the team used human stem cells (immature cells that can develop into various organ and tissue cells) to create other types of cells to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus on them. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 was able to destroy cells known as dopamine neurons. They serve as the main source of dopamine in the central nervous system of mammals.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter produced when a person has a subjectively pleasant experience. It is also synthesized during the period of expectation of positive events or memories of pleasant things. Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with the development of chronic inflammation in the body and the inability of dopamine neurons to function normally.
Researchers suggest that the coronavirus’s ability to affect dopamine neurons may underlie some people’s feelings of anxiety, apathy and unhappiness after recovery. It is stated that even a slight loss in dopamine neurons can lead to serious negative effects in the body.
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