Abnormal brain diffusivity in participants with persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms after COVID-19.
NeuroImmune Pharm Ther
; 2(1): 37-48, 2023 Mar 25.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37067870
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
We aimed to compare brain white matter integrity in participants with post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC) and healthy controls.Methods:
We compared cognitive performance (NIH Toolbox®), psychiatric symptoms and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics between 23 PCC participants and 24 controls. Fractional anisotropy (FA), axial (AD), radial (RD), and mean (MD) diffusivities were measured in 9 white matter tracts and 6 subcortical regions using MRICloud.Results:
Compared to controls, PCC had similar cognitive performance, but greater psychiatric symptoms and perceived stress, as well as higher FA and lower diffusivities in multiple white matter tracts (ANCOVA-p-values≤0.001-0.048). Amongst women, PCC had higher left amygdala-MD than controls (sex-by-PCC p=0.006). Regardless of COVID-19 history, higher sagittal strata-FA predicted greater fatigue (r=0.48-0.52, p<0.001) in all participants, and higher left amygdala-MD predicted greater fatigue (r=0.61, p<0.001) and anxiety (r=0.69, p<0.001) in women, and higher perceived stress (r=0.45, p=0.002) for all participants.Conclusions:
Microstructural abnormalities are evident in PCC participants averaged six months after COVID-19. The restricted diffusivity (with reduced MD) and higher FA suggest enhanced myelination or increased magnetic susceptibility from iron deposition, as seen in stress conditions. The higher amygdala-MD in female PCC suggests persistent neuroinflammation, which might contribute to their fatigue, anxiety, and perceived stress.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article