Wir überwinden Grenzen

Impact of COVID-19 infection on the microstructure of the brain demonstrated / Changes in cerebral networks correlate with severity of infection and symptoms / Publication in Nature Communications

Some people who have contracted COVID-19 suffer from long-term neurological symptoms such as cognitive impairment, loss of smell and fatigue. A recent study by the Medical Center - University of Freiburg, which was published in the journal Nature Communications on May 18, 2024, shows that these symptoms can be detected using imaging. An interdisciplinary research group found that the microstructure of the brain is altered in post-Covid patients compared to healthy individuals. The affected areas of the brain were linked to the symptoms of the respective patients. The extent of the cerebral changes was associated with the severity of the infection and the severity of the symptoms. For their study, the researchers used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the brains of post-COVID patients, healthy controls and COVID-19 sufferers without long-term symptoms. The aim now is to clarify the exact cause and develop new forms of therapy based on this.

"Our research shows that COVID-19 can also cause long-term structural changes in the brain. If we can better understand these changes, it may be possible to develop targeted treatments for post-COVID sufferers and improve their quality of life," says first author Prof. Dr. Jonas A. Hosp, Senior Physician at the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

New findings on post-COVID symptoms

The study included 89 post-COVID patients, 38 people who survived a COVID-19 infection without persistent symptoms and 46 healthy controls. The researchers used advanced MRI techniques to analyze the microstructure of the brain. The researchers found that the brain structure - especially the gray matter - was altered in people who had undergone COVID-19 infection. They were also able to establish links between the individual symptoms of post-COVID syndrome and various brain networks. "We don't yet know what triggers these changes after a COVID-19 infection. We also need further research to find out whether these changes are permanent or whether they regress over time," says Dr. Alexander Rau, functional senior physician at the Department of Neuroradiology at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Original title of the publication: "Cerebral microstructural alterations in post-COVID-condition are related to cognitive impairment, olfactory dysfunction and fatigue"
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-04256-0
Link to the study:https: //www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-48651-0

Picture caption: After infection with COVID-19, there is a correlation between an altered microstructure in specific brain networks and cognitive impairment, loss of smell and fatigue. The lighter the area, the stronger the link.

Image source: Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Nature Communications 2024