Even with a mild case of COVID-19, the brain also has damage, the gray matter is significantly reduced-Lifestyle

Scientists are calling for more research into why brain abnormalities happen, and whether they have any long-term effects.

According to a study published on March 7, 2022 in the journal Nature, people infected with COVID-19, including mild cases, can experience brain tissue damage, significantly reduced gray matter. compared with those not infected with COVID-19.

The study involved 785 British patients, aged 51-81, who had undergone at least two brain scans, taken an average of three years apart. A total of 401 participants tested positive for infection SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes COVID-19) between 2 brain scans. 15 of them were hospitalized.

Gwenaelle Douaud, author of the study and PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Clinical Neurology at the University of Oxford, said:Although there was a mild infection in 96% of the participants, we found a significant reduction in gray matter and more brain tissue damage in those infected with COVID-19.”

On average, people infected with COVID-19 lost 0.2% – 2% more gray matter or suffered brain tissue damage compared with people not infected with COVID-19. The area of ​​the brain most damaged is related to the sense of smell. This is also the reason why many people who have been infected with COVID-19 complain of a temporary loss of smell.

COVID-19 affects perception

In neuropsychological exercises involving sequences of numbers and letters, COVID-19 survivors took longer to complete tasks than uninfected individuals.

This study provides compelling evidence that COVID-19 can cause long-term effects on brain structure and function, said Michelle Monje-Deisseroth, professor of neurology at Stanford University. even in mildly infected people.

As the study period ends in April 2021, the scientists note that the results mainly reflect the effects associated with the original coronavirus strain, with the Alpha, Delta variant but no Omicron.

The connection between COVID-19 and the brain

As early as the summer of 2020, Johns Hopkins University reported that COVID-19 patients experienced a range of negative brain effects, including symptoms like confusion and life-threatening strokes. For many people with COVID-19, one of the first signs of infection is a severe headache.

A study from the University of Pittsburgh published on JAMA Network Open in May 2021 found that, of 3,744 adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19, four out of five had neurological symptoms, nearly Four out of ten patients reported headaches and about three out of ten reported a loss of smell or taste.

NYU Grossman School of Medicine study published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2021 found that 91% of hospitalized patients, whether or not they were diagnosed with neurological problems, had brain problems. set after 6 months from hospital discharge.

The study authors conclude that these findings may be indicative of the degenerative spread of COVID-19, through pathways involving olfactory, inflammatory, or immune system responses. nerve.

Monje-Deisseroth adds that more research is needed to understand behind the effects of the virus on the brain. She said: “Potential therapeutic strategies to mitigate these effects are needed.”