Has COVID Taken Away Our Sense of "Happiness"?

Canadian scientists have discovered that the persistent fatigue, memory impairment, and reduced motivation experienced after COVID-19 may be linked to changes in the brain involving dopamine. According to the study, patients with post-COVID syndrome showed a 16–20% reduction in a marker for dopamine-related nerve terminals compared to healthy individuals.

The study, conducted by researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, was published in the journal *eBioMedicine*. It involved 24 patients suffering from post-COVID syndrome with significant neuropsychiatric symptoms, as well as 24 healthy volunteers.

Using positron emission tomography (PET) scans, the scientists measured the levels of VMAT2—a protein involved in storing dopamine within nerve cells. They found that in patients with post-COVID syndrome, the levels of this marker were 16–20% lower in brain regions associated with movement, memory, and motivation.

The researchers suggest that these changes may help explain the slowed movement, memory issues, and lack of motivation often observed in cases of post-COVID syndrome. At the same time, the scientists noted the small number of participants in the study, stating that the results cannot be generalized to all post-COVID patients. Furthermore, it has not yet been definitively proven that the observed changes were caused directly by the coronavirus.

Experts plan to investigate the efficacy of drugs that affect the dopamine system in alleviating post-COVID symptoms. However, the benefits of such treatment approaches still need to be confirmed through further research.