Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina

Autores
Cataldo, Sol A.; Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana; Margulis, Laura Emilce; Cibeyra, Melina; Defeo, Sabrina; Horovitz, Silvina G.; Martino, Analía; Melano, Raul; Mena, Milagros; Parisi, Francisco Eduardo Alberto; Santoro, Diego; Sarmiento, Florencia; Belzunce, Martín Alberto
Año de publicación
2024
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Objective: Long COVID is a condition characterised by persistent symptoms after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, with neurological manifestations being particularly frequent. Existing research suggests that long COVID patients not only report cognitive symptoms but also exhibit measurable cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging studies have identified structural alterations in brain regions linked to cognitive functions. However, most of these studies have focused on patients within months of their initial infection. This study aims to explore the longer-term cognitive effects and brain structural changes in long COVID patients, approximately two years post-infection, in a cohort from San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 137 participants: 109 with long COVID symptoms and 28 healthy controls. The participants underwent an initial clinical assessment, completed a structured questionnaire and standardised scales, underwent a cognitive assessment, and had a brain MRI scan. Structural MRI images were processed via FreeSurfer and FSL to obtain volumetric measures for subcortical and cortical regions, along with regional cortical thickness. Differences between groups for these variables were analysed using ANCOVA, with permutation tests applied to correct for multiple comparisons.Results: Long COVID patients reported persistent cognitive symptoms such as memory problems and brain fog, with higher levels of fatigue and reduced quality of life compared to controls. Despite subjective cognitive complaints, cognitive tests did not reveal significant differences between groups, except for the TMT-A (p = 0.05). MRI analysis revealed decreased volume in the cerebellum (p = 0.03), lingual gyrus (p = 0.04), and inferior parietal regions (p = 0.03), and reduced cortical thickness in several areas, including the left and right postcentral gyri (p = 0.02, p = 0.03) and precuneus (p = 0.01, p = 0.02).Conclusions:This study highlights the enduring impact of long COVID on quality of life and physical activity, with specific brain structural changes identified two years post-infection. Although cognitive tests did not show clear impairment, the observed brain atrophy and significant reduction in quality of life emphasize the need for comprehensive interventions and further longitudinal studies to understand the long-term effects of long COVID on cognition and brain health.
Fil: Cataldo, Sol A.. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Margulis, Laura Emilce. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Cibeyra, Melina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Defeo, Sabrina. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Horovitz, Silvina G.. National Institutes of Health; Estados Unidos
Fil: Martino, Analía. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Melano, Raul. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Mena, Milagros. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Humanidades; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Parisi, Francisco Eduardo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas. - Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas.; Argentina
Fil: Santoro, Diego. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Sarmiento, Florencia. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Belzunce, Martín Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas. - Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas.; Argentina
Materia
Long COVID
Neuroimaging
Structural MRI
Brain atrophy
Cognitive dysfunction
Quality of life
COVID-19
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/266211
Acceder
id CONICETDig_7b52d11b76b022e5505f0d48ae0655e0
oai_identifier_str oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/266211
network_acronym_str CONICETDig
repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from ArgentinaCataldo, Sol A.Micciulli, Andrea FabianaMargulis, Laura EmilceCibeyra, MelinaDefeo, SabrinaHorovitz, Silvina G.Martino, AnalíaMelano, RaulMena, MilagrosParisi, Francisco Eduardo AlbertoSantoro, DiegoSarmiento, FlorenciaBelzunce, Martín AlbertoLong COVIDNeuroimagingStructural MRIBrain atrophyCognitive dysfunctionQuality of lifeCOVID-19https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3.1https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3.2https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2Objective: Long COVID is a condition characterised by persistent symptoms after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, with neurological manifestations being particularly frequent. Existing research suggests that long COVID patients not only report cognitive symptoms but also exhibit measurable cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging studies have identified structural alterations in brain regions linked to cognitive functions. However, most of these studies have focused on patients within months of their initial infection. This study aims to explore the longer-term cognitive effects and brain structural changes in long COVID patients, approximately two years post-infection, in a cohort from San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 137 participants: 109 with long COVID symptoms and 28 healthy controls. The participants underwent an initial clinical assessment, completed a structured questionnaire and standardised scales, underwent a cognitive assessment, and had a brain MRI scan. Structural MRI images were processed via FreeSurfer and FSL to obtain volumetric measures for subcortical and cortical regions, along with regional cortical thickness. Differences between groups for these variables were analysed using ANCOVA, with permutation tests applied to correct for multiple comparisons.Results: Long COVID patients reported persistent cognitive symptoms such as memory problems and brain fog, with higher levels of fatigue and reduced quality of life compared to controls. Despite subjective cognitive complaints, cognitive tests did not reveal significant differences between groups, except for the TMT-A (p = 0.05). MRI analysis revealed decreased volume in the cerebellum (p = 0.03), lingual gyrus (p = 0.04), and inferior parietal regions (p = 0.03), and reduced cortical thickness in several areas, including the left and right postcentral gyri (p = 0.02, p = 0.03) and precuneus (p = 0.01, p = 0.02).Conclusions:This study highlights the enduring impact of long COVID on quality of life and physical activity, with specific brain structural changes identified two years post-infection. Although cognitive tests did not show clear impairment, the observed brain atrophy and significant reduction in quality of life emphasize the need for comprehensive interventions and further longitudinal studies to understand the long-term effects of long COVID on cognition and brain health.Fil: Cataldo, Sol A.. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; ArgentinaFil: Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Margulis, Laura Emilce. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Cibeyra, Melina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Defeo, Sabrina. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; ArgentinaFil: Horovitz, Silvina G.. National Institutes of Health; Estados UnidosFil: Martino, Analía. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; ArgentinaFil: Melano, Raul. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Mena, Milagros. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Humanidades; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Parisi, Francisco Eduardo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas. - Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas.; ArgentinaFil: Santoro, Diego. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; ArgentinaFil: Sarmiento, Florencia. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; ArgentinaFil: Belzunce, Martín Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas. - Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas.; ArgentinaBioMed Central2024-11info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/266211Cataldo, Sol A.; Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana; Margulis, Laura Emilce; Cibeyra, Melina; Defeo, Sabrina; et al.; Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina; BioMed Central; Bmc Neurology; 24; 1; 11-2024; 1-121471-2377CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-024-03959-8info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1186/s12883-024-03959-8info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-10-15T15:07:44Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/266211instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-10-15 15:07:44.528CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
title Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
spellingShingle Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
Cataldo, Sol A.
Long COVID
Neuroimaging
Structural MRI
Brain atrophy
Cognitive dysfunction
Quality of life
COVID-19
title_short Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
title_full Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
title_fullStr Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
title_full_unstemmed Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
title_sort Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Cataldo, Sol A.
Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana
Margulis, Laura Emilce
Cibeyra, Melina
Defeo, Sabrina
Horovitz, Silvina G.
Martino, Analía
Melano, Raul
Mena, Milagros
Parisi, Francisco Eduardo Alberto
Santoro, Diego
Sarmiento, Florencia
Belzunce, Martín Alberto
author Cataldo, Sol A.
author_facet Cataldo, Sol A.
Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana
Margulis, Laura Emilce
Cibeyra, Melina
Defeo, Sabrina
Horovitz, Silvina G.
Martino, Analía
Melano, Raul
Mena, Milagros
Parisi, Francisco Eduardo Alberto
Santoro, Diego
Sarmiento, Florencia
Belzunce, Martín Alberto
author_role author
author2 Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana
Margulis, Laura Emilce
Cibeyra, Melina
Defeo, Sabrina
Horovitz, Silvina G.
Martino, Analía
Melano, Raul
Mena, Milagros
Parisi, Francisco Eduardo Alberto
Santoro, Diego
Sarmiento, Florencia
Belzunce, Martín Alberto
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Long COVID
Neuroimaging
Structural MRI
Brain atrophy
Cognitive dysfunction
Quality of life
COVID-19
topic Long COVID
Neuroimaging
Structural MRI
Brain atrophy
Cognitive dysfunction
Quality of life
COVID-19
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3.1
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3.2
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/3
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/2
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Objective: Long COVID is a condition characterised by persistent symptoms after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, with neurological manifestations being particularly frequent. Existing research suggests that long COVID patients not only report cognitive symptoms but also exhibit measurable cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging studies have identified structural alterations in brain regions linked to cognitive functions. However, most of these studies have focused on patients within months of their initial infection. This study aims to explore the longer-term cognitive effects and brain structural changes in long COVID patients, approximately two years post-infection, in a cohort from San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 137 participants: 109 with long COVID symptoms and 28 healthy controls. The participants underwent an initial clinical assessment, completed a structured questionnaire and standardised scales, underwent a cognitive assessment, and had a brain MRI scan. Structural MRI images were processed via FreeSurfer and FSL to obtain volumetric measures for subcortical and cortical regions, along with regional cortical thickness. Differences between groups for these variables were analysed using ANCOVA, with permutation tests applied to correct for multiple comparisons.Results: Long COVID patients reported persistent cognitive symptoms such as memory problems and brain fog, with higher levels of fatigue and reduced quality of life compared to controls. Despite subjective cognitive complaints, cognitive tests did not reveal significant differences between groups, except for the TMT-A (p = 0.05). MRI analysis revealed decreased volume in the cerebellum (p = 0.03), lingual gyrus (p = 0.04), and inferior parietal regions (p = 0.03), and reduced cortical thickness in several areas, including the left and right postcentral gyri (p = 0.02, p = 0.03) and precuneus (p = 0.01, p = 0.02).Conclusions:This study highlights the enduring impact of long COVID on quality of life and physical activity, with specific brain structural changes identified two years post-infection. Although cognitive tests did not show clear impairment, the observed brain atrophy and significant reduction in quality of life emphasize the need for comprehensive interventions and further longitudinal studies to understand the long-term effects of long COVID on cognition and brain health.
Fil: Cataldo, Sol A.. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Margulis, Laura Emilce. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Cibeyra, Melina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Defeo, Sabrina. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Horovitz, Silvina G.. National Institutes of Health; Estados Unidos
Fil: Martino, Analía. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Melano, Raul. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentina
Fil: Mena, Milagros. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Escuela de Humanidades; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina
Fil: Parisi, Francisco Eduardo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas. - Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas.; Argentina
Fil: Santoro, Diego. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Sarmiento, Florencia. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Escuela de Ciencia y Tecnologia. Centro Universitario de Imágenes Medicas.; Argentina
Fil: Belzunce, Martín Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas. - Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto de Ciencias Fisicas.; Argentina
description Objective: Long COVID is a condition characterised by persistent symptoms after a SARS-CoV-2 infection, with neurological manifestations being particularly frequent. Existing research suggests that long COVID patients not only report cognitive symptoms but also exhibit measurable cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging studies have identified structural alterations in brain regions linked to cognitive functions. However, most of these studies have focused on patients within months of their initial infection. This study aims to explore the longer-term cognitive effects and brain structural changes in long COVID patients, approximately two years post-infection, in a cohort from San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 137 participants: 109 with long COVID symptoms and 28 healthy controls. The participants underwent an initial clinical assessment, completed a structured questionnaire and standardised scales, underwent a cognitive assessment, and had a brain MRI scan. Structural MRI images were processed via FreeSurfer and FSL to obtain volumetric measures for subcortical and cortical regions, along with regional cortical thickness. Differences between groups for these variables were analysed using ANCOVA, with permutation tests applied to correct for multiple comparisons.Results: Long COVID patients reported persistent cognitive symptoms such as memory problems and brain fog, with higher levels of fatigue and reduced quality of life compared to controls. Despite subjective cognitive complaints, cognitive tests did not reveal significant differences between groups, except for the TMT-A (p = 0.05). MRI analysis revealed decreased volume in the cerebellum (p = 0.03), lingual gyrus (p = 0.04), and inferior parietal regions (p = 0.03), and reduced cortical thickness in several areas, including the left and right postcentral gyri (p = 0.02, p = 0.03) and precuneus (p = 0.01, p = 0.02).Conclusions:This study highlights the enduring impact of long COVID on quality of life and physical activity, with specific brain structural changes identified two years post-infection. Although cognitive tests did not show clear impairment, the observed brain atrophy and significant reduction in quality of life emphasize the need for comprehensive interventions and further longitudinal studies to understand the long-term effects of long COVID on cognition and brain health.
publishDate 2024
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2024-11
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/266211
Cataldo, Sol A.; Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana; Margulis, Laura Emilce; Cibeyra, Melina; Defeo, Sabrina; et al.; Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina; BioMed Central; Bmc Neurology; 24; 1; 11-2024; 1-12
1471-2377
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/266211
identifier_str_mv Cataldo, Sol A.; Micciulli, Andrea Fabiana; Margulis, Laura Emilce; Cibeyra, Melina; Defeo, Sabrina; et al.; Cognitive impact and brain structural changes in long COVID patients: a cross-sectional MRI study two years post infection in a cohort from Argentina; BioMed Central; Bmc Neurology; 24; 1; 11-2024; 1-12
1471-2377
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-024-03959-8
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1186/s12883-024-03959-8
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv BioMed Central
publisher.none.fl_str_mv BioMed Central
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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