2023-09-18 10:01:00
According to the latest estimates from Public Health France, long covid would affect around 2 million French people, or 4% of the adult population. Affected people retain symptoms of Covid-19 for weeks, months, even years following infection.
Very impactful on a daily basis, long covid has been the subject of numerous studies. A recent study, led by researchers from Inserm, Lille University Hospital, the University of Lille, and Imperial College London, discovered that infection with SARS-CoV-2 might have consequences on certain neurons regulating sexual reproduction. The results were published in the journal eBioMedicine.
For this research, the researchers observed the hormonal dosages carried out in a group of men (47 people), three months and one year following Covid-19 infection. These dosages are carried out using a blood test and make it possible to monitor the functioning of certain organs. The data taken into account by the study were as follows:
Observing this, the scientists found that: “contact with the virus might alter the functions of GnRH neurons, leading to a drop in testosterone levels in some patients some time following the infectious episode”. Indeed, GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) neurons have an important role in reproduction, whether in men or women. “These neurons control from the hypothalamus all processes associated with reproductive functions: puberty, acquisition of secondary sexual characteristics and fertility in adulthood”, details Inserm. A reduction in these hormones over the long term might therefore have many consequences.
Hormonal abnormalities: they are linked to cognitive deficit
Once they observed a drop in testosterone levels in the volunteers following virus infection, the scientists wanted to check whether GnRH neuron infection and hormonal abnormalities might be linked to cognitive deficits. To do this, they listed the different cognitive symptoms reported by the patients in the cohort, three months and one year following infection.
“The proportion of patients reporting memory or attention problems, regardless of their frequency or severitybut also difficulty concentrating, tended to be slightly higher in patients who presented abnormal hormonal dosages, characterized by a drop in testosterone levels”, details Inserm. This clearly shows the link between cognitive deficits and hormonal abnormalities. Thus, in addition to reducing fertility, the reduction of GnRH neurons might impact brain capacity.
GnRH neurons: the death of some of them worries researchers
To complete their analyses, the researchers studied the cortex of patients who died from Covid-19. They identified the presence of the virus in the hypothalamus and noted the death of part of the population of GnRH neurons. Scientists believe that these results are worrying, given the roles of these neurons which have just been demonstrated on:
- the reproduction (testosterone production);
- certain cognitive functions.
According to them, this should encourage optimization and generalize medical monitoring of people with long covid. “Although these are measurements carried out on a small sample of patients and only males, these results are very interesting and deserve to be further explored. as part of other studies carried out on a larger scale“, concludes Waljit Dhillo, professor at Imperial College London, and author of the study.
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