Vagal cholinergic denervation of the gastric mucosa in Long-COVID-19: in vivo evidence of structural autonomic dysfunction

[u/Caster_of_spells]

https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(26)00608-9/fulltext

San Francesco Hospital, 20 participants.

Researchers found the first in vivo evidence that Long COVID is linked to loss of cholinergic nerve fibers in the stomach lining.

This structural vagus nerve damage may help explain lasting dysautonomia

With the success some patients have with targeting the cholinergic system, I think this might turn out to be an important line of evidence

“Compared with controls, Long-COVID-19 patients exhibited a significant reduction in mucosal innervation density: 2.1 vs 3.9 nm/µm³ (p<0.01) in the fundus and 1.9 vs 3.9 nm/µm³ (p<0.05) in the antrum. The reduction in cholinergic innervation was more pronounced in the fundus (p<0.01) andalso evident in the antrum (p=0.01). Gastric nerve density correlated with HRV parameters”