Overview

• Researchers at Yokohama City University used [11C]K-2 AMPAR PET in 30 long COVID patients and 80 healthy controls, with results published October 1 in Brain Communications.
• Imaging revealed widespread increases in AMPA receptor density across the brains of people with long COVID.
• Higher AMPA receptor levels correlated with the severity of cognitive impairment reported by participants.
• Receptor density also correlated with inflammatory biomarkers, pointing to a possible inflammation–receptor interaction.
• The analysis separated patients from controls with 100% sensitivity and 91% specificity, and the authors highlight AMPARs as a potential therapeutic target while emphasizing the findings are preliminary.