Why is the sense of joy disappearing? Scientists discover unexpected impact of COVID-19 on the brain

Medical scientists around the world continue to study the hidden and long-term complications that the coronavirus infection inflicts on the human body. Recent scientific research has shown that COVID-19 can directly strike not only the respiratory tract, but also a person's mental state, ability to enjoy life, and sense of happiness.

Experts note that behind the apathy, constant fatigue, and diminished sense of joy observed in many people who have undergone the disease lie serious physiological changes occurring in the brain.

Which brain centers are targeted by the virus?

According to scientific conclusions, the infection negatively affects the centers that regulate human behavior and mood:

• Motivation and happiness center: The coronavirus suppresses the activity of important areas of the brain responsible for motivation, happiness, satisfaction, and memory retention;

• Dependence on disease severity: The harder the infection was on the body, the deeper and more dangerous its negative consequences on the nervous system and emotional state will be.

Dopamine deficiency: Why does joy disappear?

During the study, scientists revealed the main cause of post-coronavirus psychological changes:

• Decrease in nerve fiber density: In patients who have suffered the disease, a significant decrease in the density of nerve endings associated with the production of dopamine, considered the hormone of pleasure and incentive, has been recorded;

• "Fading" of emotions: As a result of damage to dopamine receptors and nerve endings, a person can no longer derive the same pleasure as before from simple things that used to bring joy — favorite hobbies, communication, or achievements (medically referred to as anhedonia).

How reversible are the complications?

Doctors and neurobiologists have not yet fully assessed the extent to which this process can be recovered:

• Need for further research: The possibility of brain tissues and nerve endings fully returning to their normal state after the disease, the recovery periods, and what medical treatments are required for this demand additional in-depth clinical studies;

• Expert recommendation: If deep apathy, poor memory, and lack of motivation are observed for a long time after contracting COVID-19, it is recommended not to dismiss this as mere laziness or seasonal fatigue, but to undergo an examination by a neurologist or therapist.