How Covid infection affects the brain: Even mild cases of Covid-19 are associated with subtle tissue damage and accelerated losses in brain volume, study shows.
Highlights
- Covid-19 is associated with subtle tissue damage and accelerated losses in brain regions tied to the sense of smell, a new study finds.
- Having mild Covid is also associated with a cognitive function deficit.
- The research was published Monday in Nature.
- It is the first study of the disease’s potential impact on the brain that is based on brain scans taken both before and after participants contracted the coronavirus.
- The researchers observed a greater loss of gray matter in the brain, as well as a higher rate of abnormalities in the tissue, the researchers say.
- The excess loss of brain volume is equivalent to at least one extra year of normal aging, the lead author says.