Brain cortical alterations in COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms

• DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.992165
• Publication Date: 2022-10-20T05:07:04Z
• Authors: Gretel Sanabria-Diaz; Manina Maja Etter; Lester Melie-Garcia; Johanna M. Lieb; Marios-Nikos Psyc...; Gregor Hutter; Cristina Granziera
• Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; neurological symptoms; Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry; surface area; cortical thickness; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; gray matter volume (GMV); RC321-571; Neuroscience

Background Growing evidence suggests that the central nervous system is affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), since infected patients suffer from and long-term neurological sequelae. Nevertheless, it currently unknown whether virus affects brain cortex. The purpose of this study was to assess cortical gray matter volume, thickness, surface area in a group SARS-CoV-2 with symptoms compared healthy control subjects. Additionally, we analyzed features association inflammatory biomarkers cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plasma. Materials methods Thirty-three were selected prospective cross-sectional cohort during ongoing pandemic (August 2020–April 2021) at university hospitals Basel Zurich (Switzerland). included different symptom severity (Class I: nearly asymptomatic/mild symptoms, II: moderate III: symptoms). age sex-matched subjects underwent same MRI protocol served as controls. For each anatomical T1w MPRAGE image, regional computed FreeSurfer. Using linear regression model, measures between groups (patients vs. controls; Class I II–III), age, sex, magnetic field strength, total intracranial volume/mean thickness/total covariates. In subgroup patients, clinical parameters assessed using partial correlation adjusting for P -values corrected false discovery rate (FDR). Results Our findings revealed lower volume COVID-19 patients’ orbitofrontal, frontal, cingulate regions than controls ( p < 0.05). Regional thickness decreases negatively associated CSF protein levels, CSF/blood-albumin ratio, EN-RAGE levels. Conclusion data suggest viral-triggered inflammation leads neurotoxic damage some areas phase infection symptoms.