On Jul. 5, 2022, the National Institutes of Health released a study that described the immune response triggered by COVID-19 infection that damages the brainﾒs blood vessels and may lead to short- and long-term neurological symptoms. In a study published in Brain, researchers from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) examined brain changes in nine people who died suddenly after contracting the virus.

The scientists found evidence that antibodiesﾗproteins produced by the immune system in response to viruses and other invadersﾗare involved in an attack on the cells lining the brainﾒs blood vessels, leading to inflammation and damage.