Scientists uncover why long COVID can cause pain

[Sly Saint]

A new animal study has provided important insights into how COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2—the virus responsible for COVID-19—can lead to long-term pain. The new findings also point to a potential therapy for COVID-related pain.


"A significant number of people suffering from long COVID experience sensory abnormalities, including various forms of pain," said Randal (Alex) Serafini, an MD/Ph.D. candidate from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. "We used RNA sequencing to get a snapshot of the biochemical changes SARS-CoV-2 triggers in a pain-transmitting structure called dorsal root ganglia."

Using a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the researchers found that infection left a gene expression signature in the dorsal root ganglia that remained even after the virus cleared. The signature matched gene expression patterns seen in pain caused by other conditions.

Serafini will present the new research at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics annual meeting during the Experimental Biology (EB) 2022 meeting, to be held April 2–5 in Philadelphia.

"Our findings could potentially lead to new therapies for patients suffering from acute and long COVID, as well as other pain conditions," said Serafini. "Our study also shows that SARS-CoV-2 causes long-term effects on the body in drastically new ways, further underscoring why people should try to avoid being infected."

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-04-scientists-uncover-covid-pain.html

 

[Mithriel]

Problems with dorsal root ganglia have been found at autopsy in people with ME.

 

[Arnie Pye]

It begs the question... When will patients be told that CBT and exercise will change gene expression in the spine and cure pain?

 

[alex3619]

Problems with dorsal root ganglia have been found at autopsy in people with ME.

If I recall correctly, in very small numbers at autopsy, but about one in four of those had issues with the dorsal root ganglia.

 

[DokaGirl]

This also begs the question, why can't this sort of research be more aggressively or earnestly addressed for ME?

Oh yeah, I know why....

 

[Midnattsol]

It begs the question... When will patients be told that CBT and exercise will change gene expression in the spine and cure pain?

I've read at least one study that used some sort of therapy (don't remember if it was CBT or ACT, but something like that) and looked at epigenetics, for the persons who benefitted from therapy there was a change in epigenetic signature but not in the other group. It was a small study and I'm sure there were more problems but I don't remember much of it.

 

[DokaGirl]

I am concerned that despite the huge amount of research and money being poured into many aspects of COVID, ME may still be left out in the cold.

Knowledge and works on post viral syndromes seem to be coming on more, which is encouraging. But it would be good to see mainstream, government funded media report on the similarities between ME and Long COVID. Though that could reveal the fact that ME has been neglected for decades. Perhaps a bit embarrassing for the powers that be. Or not.

 

[Creekside]

I am concerned that despite the huge amount of research and money being poured into many aspects of COVID, ME may still be left out in the cold.

The tools and knowledge base from covid research will probably help ME research. If some covid group gets funding to develop a non-invasive tool for measuring blood flow in brain capillaries, that can also be applied to ME research. A database of glial cell properties in covid patients plus controls could also be of use for ME studies. The two diseases seem to have some relation, so there should be some overlap benefits from research.

 

[DokaGirl]

The tools and knowledge base from covid research will probably help ME research. If some covid group gets funding to develop a non-invasive tool for measuring blood flow in brain capillaries, that can also be applied to ME research. A database of glial cell properties in covid patients plus controls could also be of use for ME studies. The two diseases seem to have some relation, so there should be some overlap benefits from research.

I very much hope that with the similarities between these 2 groups, our community does benefit. That has been the hope and understanding. I don't have numbers to back up my hunch but it seems the trickle of ME research is less, now that COVID research is prominent. I hope our researchers are not over looked.

 

[Amw66]

I very much hope that with the similarities between these 2 groups, our community does benefit. That has been the hope and understanding. I don't have numbers to back up my hunch but it seems the trickle of ME research is less, now that COVID research is prominent. I hope our researchers are not over looked.

Control groups of pwME on COVID research projects would be valuable.
Differences as well as commonalities could be flagged up.

 

[DokaGirl]

Control groups of pwME on COVID research projects would be valuable.
Differences as well as commonalities could be flagged up.

Absolutely!

It would be great to see comparisons of many groups such as ME, COVID, MS, FM, Chronic Lyme Disease (if I have the term right) and others.

( I used to dream of a normal, healthy, productive life; a fulfilling life. Now I dream of ME research!)