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Long COVID is associated with reduced levels of VMAT2, a protein critical for dopamine signaling, in specific brain regions.

HealthcareScienceSep 15, 2026score 2.222 posts · 171 replies across 2 instances
The thread discusses a study showing that people with Long COVID have lower levels of VMAT2, a protein related to dopamine signaling, in brain regions linked to motivation, movement, memory, planning, and apathy. This suggests a potential biological basis for Long COVID symptoms, which could influence public understanding and treatment approaches.

Claims

Long COVID is associated with reduced levels of VMAT2, a protein critical for dopamine signaling, in specific brain regions.
Parent: HealthcareEntity: Long COVIDImpact: negativeDate: Sep 15, 2026Target: The biological impact of Long COVID on dopamine signaling

Source posts

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A study using PET brain scans found people with Long COVID had significantly lower levels of VMAT2, a protein involved in dopamine signalling, compared with healthy people. Reductions of 16–20% were found in brain regions involved in motivation, movement, memory, planning and apathy. Archive link: https://archive.li/0jQDu Source: https://fortune.com/2026/09/14/long-covid-brain-fog-symptoms-dopamine-nerve-terminals/
150 boosts · 108 favs · 10 replies · Sep 15, 2026
@[email protected]
A study using PET brain scans found people with Long COVID had significantly lower levels of VMAT2, a protein involved in dopamine signalling, compared with healthy people. Reductions of 16–20% were found in brain regions involved in motivation, movement, memory, planning and apathy. 
67 boosts · 0 favs · 3 replies · Sep 15, 2026