Study reveals main target of SARS-CoV-2 in brain and describes effects of virus on nervous system

A Brazilian study published in the journal PNAS describes some of the effects infection by SARS-CoV-2 can have on the central nervous system. A preliminary version (not yet peer-reviewed) posted in 2020 was one of the first to show that the virus that causes COVID-19 can infect brain cells, especially astrocytes. It also broke new ground by describing alterations in the structure of the cortex, the most neuron-rich brain region, even in cases of mild COVID-19.

Better Asthma and COPD Drugs with Fewer Side Effects Are Within Reach

Bronchodilators, the most common type of asthma-fighting drug, inhibits contractions of airway smooth muscle that are induced by stimulating receptors on the muscle's surface. New research highlights a novel mechanism for the drugs and will aid in the development of better medications for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The findings are detailed in a new article by researchers from Dundalk Institute of Technology in Ireland and Queen's University in Northern Ireland.

Study advances knowledge of role of brain pathology and cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis

Using advanced diffusion neuroimaging technology, Kessler Foundation researchers investigated the relationship between the rate of cognitive fatigue to microstructural changes in the brain in persons with multiple sclerosis. Their findings help fill a gap in the current understanding of how brain pathology influences the development of fatigue over time.