Coronavirus

Researchers Find Brain Damage In COVID Patients

Northwestern Medicine in Chicago say if left untreated, COVID-related degeneration could lead to permanent brain damage.

Researchers Find Brain Damage In COVID Patients
Eric Gay / AP
SMS

New research suggests COVID-19 can cause long-term brain damage.

Researchers at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago found a third of the COVID-19 patients who were sick enough to be hospitalized saw a degeneration of brain function. 

The scientists say if left untreated, the degeneration could lead to permanent brain damage.

The study of 509 patients found about 82 percent experienced some sort of neurological symptom from COVID-19 ....mostly muscle pain but, in some cases, loss of taste and smell, too.

Experts say the study shows that for survivors of COVID-19, beating the infection may just be the beginning of their recovery as some may have to deal with longstanding and lingering effects.