Long Covid may be caused by the virus damaging crucial vagus nerve, scientists claim - Daily Mail

Scientists from a hospital in Spain conducted tests on 350 long Covid patients and quizzed them on their symptoms to determine whether the nerve was linked to the lingering health problems. .

Results from their preliminary analysis, based on 20 patients, shows symptoms such as gastrointestinal problems and an elevated heart rate were linked with damage to the vagus nerve.

Almost all of them, however, suffered symptoms relating to vagus nerve dysfunction, including diarrhoea, an elevated heart rate and dizziness. 

Dr Gemma Lladós and Dr Lourdes Mateu, medics at hospital and authors of the study, said the results show most long Covid patients with symptoms of vagus nerve damage had changes in the structure or function of their nerve. 

'Our findings so far thus point at vagus nerve dysfunction as a central pathophysiological feature of long Covid,' they added

He said: 'It is entirely possible that people susceptible to nerve damage are at the greatest risk of developing long Covid. 

'In this case this observation tells us little more than nerve damage is a result of Covid, this is greater in those with long Covid and the damage is easy to detect in a long, complex nerve.' 

He said drugs used to treat vagus nerve damage could be considered for long Covid