New Covid Research - Brain Damage, Anxiety, Depression

[stormdog]

Some new research proposes the mechanism by which Covid kills brain cells.

It looks like we've known that Covid attacks astrocytes in the brain for some time. There are two new (I think) things here. One is that the brain damage is in an area specifically linked to anxiety disorders and causes anxiety and depression along with "brain fog." The second is the mechanism of attack, which maybe suggests research into ways to prevent that damage?

I already had two reasons to do my utmost to not get Covid. Miriam may be immune compromised and have a really bad case. If I got a bad case and needed hospitalization, I have no insurance to pay for it. New reason number three is that I *already* have clinical anxiety and depression. I'd like for them not to get worse!

https://iflscience.com/sars-cov-2-can-kill-brain-cells-and-scientists-think-theyve-figured-out-how-64866

Comments

[sabotabby]

Oh damn. Like on the one hand, I am very worried about certain types of brain damage more than others, and I guess since I already have clinical depression and anxiety, it seems less scary to me than, say, losing the ability to speak or my memory. But also could it be worse? Yeah it can be worse.

[stormdog]

It's just...so much. So draining.

I'd be terrified of losing my memory too, though I already feel like I don't remember most of my childhood other than in vague, sporadic ways. (I've come to wonder if there was some gender-related disassociation there.) I actually have significant fear in general about things going wrong with my brain though. They're such fragile devices. That fear is why I've never been interested in or used intoxicants like alcohol or cannabis. I'm 100% ok with other people using them, but I have a lot of fear related to not being in control of what's going on in my own head.

[sabotabby]

I have a lot of memory loss from trauma and deliberate mind games by my biological father (a big reason why this is a specific fear for me).

Yeah I pretty much never do drugs. Alcohol, in small quantities, but disassociation is a major problem for me so I have to stay in control at all times, even though loss of control tends to make me happier.