Covid 19 may infect dopamine neurons

[Boscoejean]

this article is in Neuroscience News and I guess this did not seem surprising to me

neurosciencenews.com/dopami...

[Eryl]

It's logical that if Covid19 causes inflammation that leads to the neuroligical symptoms of long Covid that other causes of inflammation can also cause these symptoms. These other causes of inflammation can be the oxidative stress caused by refined seed oils and high levels of bood sugar. caused by the ingestion of carbohydrates especially refined ones as in bread. I suspect that long Covid mostly affects people who have this additional cause of unflammation. This inflammation is also mostly the cause of PD.

[Boscoejean in reply to Eryl]

it is logical and it IS the reason we have done everything we can to avoid this scourge

[gomelgo]

COVID was designed to have knock on effects, that is what I believe, and I am now even more convinced than ever. I have been certain that my diagnosis is a direct result of my COVID infection from 2019, yes I got it in November of 2019!

Could someone please explain this part: "reduced numbers of neuromelanin+ and tyrosine-hydroxylase (TH)+ DA neurons and fibers" Is there anything that could be done about that?

[Boscoejean in reply to gomelgo]

"What increases neuromelanin?

Accordingly, increases in dopamine concentration by 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenilalanine (L-DOPA) load in cultures of midbrain dopaminergic neurons or PC12 cells can enhance neuromelanin formation5."

"Light induces neuromelanin formation in the substantia nigra"

"Light induces reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive neurons in the substantia nigra

Exposure of animals to bright light caused a reduction of TH-positive neurons in the substantia nigra. "

nature.com/articles/srep013....

[gomelgo in reply to Boscoejean]

So what we need is light? AS in red light? Or sunshine? Or maybe even both?

[Boscoejean in reply to gomelgo]

it does sound like light was found to be helpful

[Boscoejean]

Neuromelanin, one of the most overlooked molecules in modern medicine, is not a spectator

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Boscoejean]

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH; EC. 1.14. 16.2) catalyzes the hydroxylation of L-tyrosine (L-Tyr) to L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-Dopa), the first and rate-limiting step in the synthesis of the catecholamines (CAs) dopamine (DA), noradrenaline and adrenaline1.

In the brain, CAs are essential neurotransmitters and neuromodulators involved in processes such as motor control, emotion, reward, biorhythms and learning2. Mutations in the TH gene are associated with congenital TH deficiency (THD, OMIM #605407), with phenotypes ranging from L-Dopa responsive dystonia (DRD) and infantile parkinsonism to severe, complex encephalopathy with neonatal onset3,4. Furthermore, a deficiency in striatal TH is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease5.

nature.com/articles/s41467-....

[gomelgo in reply to Boscoejean]

This one I would need in plain English. I feel like this condition has made us all have to understand all the complex stuff happening in our brains and bodies. And of course at the same time, our brains and bodies are debilitating from it.

[Boscoejean]

I am trying to find plain English help but so far it is elusive