Brain abnormalities in survivors of COVID-19 after 2-year recovery: a functional MRI study.

Zhao, Yimiao; Liang, Qiongdan; Jiang, Zhendong; Mei, Huan; Zeng, Na; Su, Sizhen; Wu, Shanshan; Ge, Yinghong; Li, Peng; Lin, Xiao; Yuan, Kai; Shi, Le; Yan, Wei; Liu, Xiaoxing; Sun, Jie; Liu, Weijian; van Wingen, Guido; Gao, Yujun; Tan, Yiqing; Hong, Yi; Lu, Yu; Wu, Ping; Zhang, Xiujun; Wang, Yongxiang; Shi, Jie; Wang, Yumei; Lu, Lin; Li, Xiangyou; Bao, Yanping

Zhao, Yimiao; Liang, Qiongdan; Jiang, Zhendong; Mei, Huan; Zeng, Na; Su, Sizhen; Wu, Shanshan; Ge, Yinghong; Li, Peng; Lin, Xiao; Yuan, Kai; Shi, Le; Yan, Wei; Liu, Xiaoxing; Sun, Jie; Liu, Weijian; van Wingen, Guido; Gao, Yujun; Tan, Yiqing; Hong, Yi; Lu, Yu; Wu, Ping; Zhang, Xiujun; Wang, Yongxiang; Shi, Jie; Wang, Yumei; Lu, Lin; Li, Xiangyou; Bao, Yanping.

Afiliação

Zhao Y; National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Liang Q; School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Jiang Z; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Mei H; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences and PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Zeng N; Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430063, China.
Su S; National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Wu S; School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Ge Y; National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Li P; School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Lin X; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Yuan K; Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430063, China.
Shi L; The Third Hospital of Wuhan City, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430000, China.
Yan W; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Liu X; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Sun J; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Liu W; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
van Wingen G; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Gao Y; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Tan Y; Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Hong Y; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Lu Y; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Research Unit (No. 2018RU006), Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Wu P; Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Zhang X; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Wang Y; Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Shi J; Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Wang Y; Institute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Lu L; Department of Psychiatry, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430000, China.
Li X; The Third Hospital of Wuhan City, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430000, China.
Bao Y; Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430063, China.

Lancet Reg Health West Pac ; 47: 101086, 2024 Jun.

Article em En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38774424

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

Background:

A variety of symptoms, particularly cognitive, psychiatric and neurological symptoms, may persist for a long time among individuals recovering from COVID-19. However, the underlying mechanism of these brain abnormalities remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the long-term neuroimaging effects of COVID-19 infection on brain functional activities using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

Methods:

Fifty-two survivors 27 months after infection (mild-moderate group 25 participants, severe-critical 27 participants), from our previous community participants, along with 35 healthy controls, were recruited to undergo fMRI scans and comprehensive cognitive function measurements. Participants were evaluated by subjective assessment of Cognitive Failures Questionnaire-14 (CFQ-14) and Fatigue Scale-14 (FS-14), and objective assessment of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), N-back, and Simple Reaction Time (SRT). Each had rs-fMRI at 3T. Measures such as the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were calculated.

Findings:

Compared with healthy controls, survivors of mild-moderate acute symptoms group and severe-critical group had a significantly higher score of cognitive complains involving cognitive failure and mental fatigue. However, there was no difference of cognitive complaints between two groups of COVID-19 survivors. The performance of three groups was similar on the score of MoCA, N-back and SRT. The rs-fMRI results showed that COVID-19 survivors exhibited significantly increased ALFF values in the left putamen (PUT.L), right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG.R) and right pallidum (PAL.R), while decreased ALFF values were observed in the right superior parietal gyrus (SPG.R) and left superior temporal gyrus (STG.L). Additionally, decreased ReHo values in the right precentral gyrus (PreCG.R), left postcentral gyrus (PoCG.L), left calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex (CAL.L) and left superior temporal gyrus (STG.L). Furthermore, significant negative correlations between the ReHo values in the STG.L, and CFQ-14 and mental fatigue were found.

Interpretation:

This long-term study suggests that individuals recovering from COVID-19 continue to experience cognitive complaints, psychiatric and neurological symptoms, and brain functional alteration. The rs-fMRI results indicated that the changes in brain function in regions such as the putamen, temporal lobe, and superior parietal gyrus may contribute to cognitive complaints in individuals with long COVID even after 2-year infection.