2024-03-05 12:00:02
One of the persistent and disabling symptoms of Covid-19 is the loss of smell (or anosmia). Scientists from INRAE and EnvA have shown the effectiveness of corticosteroids in restoring olfactory abilities impacted following viral infection. These results, published (Parus is a genus of birds in the Paridae family. Until the end of the 20th century…) on February 27 in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, mark an important advance in the understanding and treatment of this symptom (A symptom represents one of the subjective manifestations of a disease or process…).
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Covid-19 causes some patients to lose their sense of smell. While this symptom is usually temporary, it can persist in approximately 10% of patients for more than 6 months.
Previous work carried out by a team of researchers from INRAE and EnvA showed that the olfactory mucosa, affected by SARS-CoV-2, was invaded by immune cells, causing its destruction and inflammation (Inflammation is a stereotypical immune defense reaction of…) prolonged. Building on these findings, the same team evaluated the effectiveness of corticosteroids, known for their anti-inflammatory properties, in the recovery of smell. [1].
The results of this research are twofold: they confirm the existence of a direct link between the loss of smell induced by the virus and the reduction in populations of olfactory neurons. [2] in the nasal mucosa; and they show that early treatment with dexamethasone, a commonly used corticosteroid, improves the recovery of olfactory abilities inanimal (An animal (from the Latin animus, spirit, or vital principle) is, according to the classical classification, a…).
This recovery of olfactory abilities is associated with a reduction in the presence of immune cells in the mucosa and a better regeneration of the population of olfactory neurons. These results suggest that corticosteroid treatments currently used with little beneficial effect in prolonged anosmia could be used effectively if prescribed quickly when symptoms of loss of smell appear.
Notes:
[1] Funded by the ANR (CORAR) and the ANRS (UCRAH).
[2] The olfactory neurons located in the olfactory mucosa are in direct contact with the odors arriving in the nose; they are the ones which ensure the detection of odorous molecules.
Reference:
Merle-Nguyen L., Ando-Grard O., Bourgon C. et al. (2024). Early corticosteroid treatment enhances recovery from SARS-CoV-2 induced loss of smell in hamster. Brain, Behavior, and ImmunityISSN 0889-1591, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2024.02.020.
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