COVID-19, Is It Okay If Symptoms Are Mild?..."Memory and Olfactory Brain Tissue May Also Be Damaged" UK Study Results

"Decline in Memory and Olfactory Function"

COVID-19 Medical Staff. The photo is not related to any specific part of the article. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A study has found that even mild COVID-19 infection can cause tissue damage in brain regions related to memory and olfaction.

On the 7th (local time), Professor Gwenaelle Douaud and her research team at the University of Oxford in the UK announced research results showing "even mild cases of COVID-19 caused tissue damage and volume reduction in brain areas related to olfaction and cognition." This paper was published in the prestigious international journal Nature.

The study participants were elderly individuals aged 51 to 81 who took part in the UK health database project "UK Biobank," which began in 2012. Among them, 401 COVID-19 patients were confirmed positive between March 2020 and April 2021; except for 15 who were hospitalized, all experienced mild symptoms.

The researchers compared MRI scans of their brains taken before infection and 4.5 months after infection, and compared these with non-infected individuals of similar age, health status, and socio-economic background.

The results showed that COVID-19 patients had reduced brain volume in several areas. In particular, gray matter thickness decreased in the orbitofrontal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus. Gray matter is where nerve cells cluster and appears gray to the naked eye. The orbitofrontal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus are involved in cognitive function and long-term memory storage, respectively.

Additionally, tissue damage occurred in the primary olfactory cortex, a brain region related to the sense of smell. This area also showed an additional 0.2?2% change.

The research team stated, "Although 96% of participants experienced mild COVID-19, gray matter loss and tissue damage were observed," adding, "This indicates a decrease in their mental abilities related to olfactory loss and performing complex tasks."

They further noted, "These findings may not be generalized to all infected individuals," and emphasized the need for further investigation into brain regions more vulnerable to COVID-19. They also pointed out that additional research is necessary to determine whether these brain changes are permanent."

However, Dr. Allan Carson of the Brain Clinical Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh, who did not participate in the study, commented, "The brain changes may be influenced not by COVID-19 infection itself but by immune response, inflammation, vascular factors, or psychological and behavioral changes. What this study shows is the impact on neural changes, but it does not explain the mechanisms of cognitive changes caused by COVID-19."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.