Researchers finally understand how COVID-19 affects the sense of smell

The virus, which has caused a global pandemic, has caused a lot of stress and misunderstanding at the international level. Among the most interesting and worrying side effects of COVID-19 is anosmia, the loss of smell, which has been reported by over 1.6 million people in the United States alone. New research has finally revealed why this is happening.

The study was published in the journal Cell and was based on research conducted at various universities in New York, Boston and others. It was performed on humans and hamsters, animals that have characteristics very similar to humans. These subjects were infected with COVID-19, which allowed the researchers to analyze how the virus was working in their bodies, specifically their nasal system.

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Photo by Ruslan Zh via Unsplash

Researchers discovered that the coronavirus does not infect brain cells. Instead, it attacks supporting cells located in the nasal cavity. When the infected cells shed the virus and die, the immune system floods the nasal area with immune cells. This activity inflames the area, disrupting the olfactory receptors and completely disrupting their normal functioning. It’s a type of brain short circuit that can last for weeks.

The New York Times spoke to several experts who believe the research also explains some symptoms of long-standing COVID-19. “This could be a general principle: a lot of what the virus does to us is a consequence of its ability to generate inflammation,” said Dr. Sandeep Robert Datta, associate professor at Harvard Medical School.

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While the virus does not infect and damage neurons, it does prompt the immune system to respond, with the resulting inflammation causing much of the damage and side effects that patients later report. It’s a complex system that takes time to rearrange and normalize.

A cure for cases of anosmia and a host of long-lasting COVID-19 symptoms has yet to be found, but studies like these are laying the groundwork for answers and treatments.