Advanced MRI Techniques Reveal That COVID-19 is Causing Concerning Long-Term Changes to The Brain
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Mar 16, 2025 6 hours, 29 minutes ago
Medical News: Scientists have discovered new insights into how COVID-19 may affect the brain long after recovery. Researchers from the University of British Columbia-Canada and affiliated institutions used an advanced imaging method called diffusion MRI (dMRI) to compare brain structures in people who had recovered from COVID-19 with those who had never been infected. Their findings provide important clues about potential long-term effects on brain health.
Advanced MRI Techniques Reveal That COVID-19 is Causing Concerning Long-Term Changes
to The Brain
The Study and Its Purpose
While much of the research on COVID-19 and the brain has focused on immediate and severe complications, less is known about subtle long-term effects. This
Medical News report covers the findings of a systematic review analyzing multiple studies that used dMRI to evaluate brain changes in former COVID-19 patients. The goal was to determine whether infection with the virus led to detectable alterations in brain structure, particularly in white matter, which is crucial for communication between different brain regions.
How the Research Was Conducted
The team conducted a thorough review of past studies that examined dMRI scans of COVID-19 patients at least six weeks after their illness. They included research comparing COVID-19 survivors to non-infected individuals. A total of 11 high-quality studies were selected for analysis. Most of these studies involved people who had been hospitalized with COVID-19, and MRI scans were typically taken between two to six months after recovery. By comparing dMRI data, the researchers identified key differences in brain structure between the two groups.
Key Findings on Brain Changes
The review found that COVID-19 survivors tended to have lower fractional anisotropy, a measure of how water molecules move within white matter, compared to healthy individuals. This suggests possible damage to the brain’s communication pathways.
Additionally, the studies reported higher mean diffusivity, which indicates potential alterations in brain tissue. These changes were more pronounced in individuals who had experienced severe COVID-19.
The affected areas included the superior longitudinal fasciculus, corona radiata, and thalamic radiation, which are all involved in cognitive functions and motor control. Some studies even suggested that certain parts of the brain continued to deteriorate for up to two years post-infection.
Interestingly, the findings varied depending on the severity of COVID-19. Those who had milder cases showed fewer changes, while patients who had been hospitalized or required intensive care exhibited more significant alterations. This suggests that the severity of the illness may influence the extent of brain changes.
What Could Be Causing These Changes
The exact reasons for these structural differences remain unclear. Some scientists beli
eve the virus may directly invade the brain through the olfactory system. Others suggest that inflammation triggered by the immune system in response to COVID-19 could be responsible for these changes. Neuroinflammation has been linked to many neurological conditions, and the brain abnormalities seen in post-COVID-19 patients share similarities with those found in other inflammatory brain diseases.
Another possibility is that disruptions in the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from harmful substances, could allow inflammatory cells or toxins to enter and cause damage. Some researchers have also speculated that prolonged oxygen deprivation during severe COVID-19 cases could contribute to white matter deterioration.
Implications for Brain Health and Future Research
While these findings do not necessarily mean that all COVID-19 survivors will experience noticeable cognitive problems, they highlight the need for long-term monitoring of brain health in those who have had the disease. Some researchers are concerned that these changes could increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative conditions later in life, such as dementia or Parkinson’s disease. However, more research is needed to determine whether these brain alterations are permanent or if they can improve over time.
Future studies will focus on tracking COVID-19 patients for several years to see how their brain structure changes over time. Researchers also hope to identify whether specific factors, such as different COVID-19 variants or vaccination status, play a role in these findings. Understanding the relationship between these brain changes and cognitive function will be key to assessing the long-term impact of the virus.
Conclusion
This review of dMRI studies suggests that COVID-19 may leave lasting effects on brain structure, particularly in white matter integrity. Individuals who had more severe cases of the disease appear to have greater brain changes compared to those with milder illness. While it is still unclear what these changes mean for long-term cognitive function, they raise important concerns about the neurological impact of COVID-19. Ongoing research is crucial to fully understanding how the virus affects the brain and what can be done to mitigate potential risks.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: NeuroImage.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925001521
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