COVID and Cognitive Decline
January 31, 2021COVID-19 and Cognitive Decline
One of the most common symptoms of COVID-19 is that folks report loss of smell. It is known that the virus invades the brain through smell receptors in the top of the nose which gives it a direct and short pathway straight into the hippocampus. Loss of smell, taste and headaches are all high on the list of COVID-19 symptoms. These are all signs of brain involvement. What is more disturbing is that functional MRI scanning has shown consistent and disturbing trends with alterations in the volume of multiple brain nuclei. This tracks the disturbing historical precedence following the 1918 Flu epidemic resulting in a tripling of the incidence of Parkinson's in the years following in those who contracted it and survived it. In the same fashion, there is growing awareness that the herpes viruses are more prevalent in Alzheimer's brains, and their suppression with chronic anti-viral therapy results in better outcomes. Bredesen uses anti-virals as part of his Alzheimer's protocol for anyone with chronic cold sores and believes that results in observably better outcomes.
Molecular biology has progressed enough to know that the COVID-19 virus makes a dramatic block of energy production in the mitochondria of afflicted cells, diverting potential energy production into viral coat lipids. Taking Ketone Esters as a therapy for COVID results in many folks who have been bedridden with fatigue and shortness of breath to virtually recover function in miraculously short times. These ketones drop right into the mitochondria past the block the virus imposes. We do know that we Western Diet humans have our brain accommodated to glucose as the dominant source of energy and that our brains are vulnerable to glucose deficit. The addition of a virally imposed block in the mitochondrial energy production makes intuitive sense that folks with vulnerable brains are further injured by COVID.
In that light, 40 medical centers around the world are banding together to study 1000 patients each and follow them prospectively to examine the ongoing effect of COVIDon subsequent cognitive decline. They haven't proved it yet, but there is enough smoke in the air for them to start looking for the fire. Their expectation is that there will be serious and long-term complications from COVID and that it accelerates Alzheimer's. Oh, dear. Hope they are wrong.
What implications does that have for you? We are doing research on the fly in the middle of battle. These aren't ideal conditions for long-term, prospective research. But now is not the time to delay. You do the best you can with the tools you have.
www.What will Work for me. To me, this is another compelling reason to encourage you to get your vaccination. If you are worried about your own cognitive abilities, or aware that you have had some risk for cognitive issues like an affected family member, use this as a reason to get over your reticence. And if you have had COVID and lost your sense of smell, and still haven't got it back, consider getting some sort of treatment for that. Thymosin A may be useful. Ketone esters are worth a trial. To my ears, prolonged loss of smell says you have already developed damage in the gearbox of your brain.
References: Washington Post, eClinicalMed., World Congress, Neurobio of Aging, Frontiers,
Pop Quiz
1. COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory virus. T or F. Answer: Emphatically false. It hitchhikes between people via respiratory droplets but it is a systemic illness that affects virtually every organ system in one person or another.
2. What is one of the most common symptoms that it is affecting your brain? Answer: Loss of smell or taste. Brain fog and headache come in close thereafter.
3. What other viruses have been proven to be involved in prolonged brain damage after infection. Answer: None, prospectively. That is too high a bar to demand. But associations studies show that the Influenza of 1919 resulted in a huge wave of Parkinson's 50 years later with a tripling of incidence. And HSV6 and 1 both appear to have associations.
4. Is there anything I can do about this? Answer: Yes. You can add this to your risk-benefit calculation going forward and get vaccinated. The vaccines are not whole viruses and can't in any fashion alter or change your DNA, as some misinformation anti-vaxers claim. They are messenger RNA molecules that are end products. Messenger RNA cannot in any fashion reverse manufacture DNA.
5. Can I take other medications to prevent the virus? Answer: yes, there are all sorts of prevention and immune boosting strategies. Start with Vitamin D, 5000 a day. Please, do all of them.....