This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Thursday, 4 November 2021
Covid19 and the Human Brain
One reliable symptom of an infection with Sars-CoV-2, is a loss of the sense of smell. This has worried scientists, because of the short distance from the olfactory mucosa to the brain's olfactory bulb. The olfactory mucosa 'captures' molecules but their smell (dependent on molecular shape) is processed in the olfactory bulb. A study in the journal Cell suggests, however, that the virus does not infect the olfactory sensory neurons in the mucosa (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/03/covid-19-virus-does-not-infect-human-brain-cells-new-study-suggests ). The impairment of the sense of smell seems to be produced by the virus attacking sustentacular cells that are also in the olfactory mucosa. Sustentacular cells support and nourish the olfactory sensory neurons but are not neural cells per se. It seems likely that Sars-CoV-2 will not spread, from the olfactory bulb into the rest of the brain. This finding also indicates that the loss of the sense of smell is likely to be a short-lasting phenomenon.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Birder's Bonus 241
Noted a Curlew ( Numenius arquata ) on the Loughor estuary at Bynea.
-
Greater spearwort ( Ranunculus lingua ) has been used in traditional medicine to treat rheumatism, skin conditions and digestive problems.
-
Green buckwheat ( Fagopyrum tartaricum ) is also called 'Tartar buckwheat'. It's a domesticated food plant, producing kernels. ...
-
Daily shots of my fully compostable Oyster mushroom pot, received for Christmas. Omelettes ahoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment