Serotonin reduction - Research on Long COVID that may be relevant to POIS

[BluesBrother]

Hi all

• I recently came across a New York Times article that discusses a new scientific explanation for Long COVID (paywalled): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/16/health/long-covid-serotonin.html
• The original study referenced by the NYT article appeared in the journal Cell (open access): https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(23)01034-6
• The study might be relevant to better understand POIS, since the symptoms of Long COVID and POIS show significant overlap (the symptoms of Long COVID include fatigue, post-exertional malaise, memory loss, and other neurocognitive impairments).

Main points of the paper

• Long COVID can be characterized by reduced circulating serotonin levels
• Serotonin depletion is driven by viral RNA-induced type I interferons (IFNs)
• IFNs reduce serotonin through diminished tryptophan uptake and hypercoagulability
• Peripheral serotonin deficiency impairs cognition via reduced vagal signaling

The study finds that in people with Long COVID, serotonin did not recover to pre-infection levels. Moreover, it found viral particles in the stool of Long COVID patients.

The NYT describes the proposed mechanism as follows:

"Viral remnants prompt the immune system to produce infection-fighting proteins called interferons. Interferons cause inflammation that reduces the body’s ability to absorb tryptophan, an amino acid that helps produce serotonin in the gut. Blood clots that can form after a coronavirus infection may impair the body’s ability to circulate serotonin. Depleted serotonin disrupts the vagus nerve system, which transmits signals between the body and the brain, the researchers said. Serotonin plays a role in short-term memory, and the researchers proposed that depleted serotonin could lead to memory problems and other cognitive issues that many people with long Covid experience."

I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

[b_jim]

I'm convinced by the role of serotonine in Pois as main regulator of cognitive functions. But not necessarily by involvement of immune system. We don't have the inflammation markers to prove that.

[Warrior]

I'm convinced by the role of serotonine in Pois as main regulator of cognitive functions. But not necessarily by involvement of immune system. We don't have the inflammation markers to prove that.

Neutropenia (low white blood cells) is common in POISers.

[Thomas]

My personal experience also suggests that serotonin may be part of the solution, at least for certain types of POIS.

I thought to myself not long ago that the symptoms I felt under POIS were similar to those I felt the next day when I once took mdma (sorry, I know it's forbidden in many countries, I don't encourage it).

From the National Institute on Drug Abuse :

By releasing large amounts of serotonin, MDMA causes the brain to become significantly depleted of this important neurotransmitter, contributing to the negative psychological aftereffects that people may experience for several days after taking MDMA.

[Warrior]

My personal experience also suggests that serotonin may be part of the solution, at least for certain types of POIS.

I thought to myself not long ago that the symptoms I felt under POIS were similar to those I felt the next day when I once took mdma (sorry, I know it's forbidden in many countries, I don't encourage it).

From the National Institute on Drug Abuse :

By releasing large amounts of serotonin, MDMA causes the brain to become significantly depleted of this important neurotransmitter, contributing to the negative psychological aftereffects that people may experience for several days after taking MDMA.

Yes, classic anhedonia. Whenever I’m explain what anhedonia is to someone, I always tell them this MDMA analogy.

Have you tried B vitamins, methyl donors, etc? B complex, nicotinamide, SAM-e, choline, etc. Nanna1 spoke a lot about this. The anhedonia and mental symptoms in general are from depleted neurotransmitters.

These all significantly improved my mental symptoms like you wouldn’t believe.

[Thomas]

Yes, B vitamins are definitely useful whenever I have symptoms. I haven't tested the other supplements much (SAM-e, methyl donors, nicotinamide) because I was focused on something else, but I'm planning to discuss them with my functional medicine practitioner at my next appointment in a few days.

After conducting some research, I discovered that Griffonia simplicifolia can serve as a precursor to serotonin (5-HTP). St. John's Wort can also be employed, functioning similarly as an antidepressant by reuptaking serotonin. Additionally, inositol can be used to enhance serotonin and dopamine receptor densities.