Longitudinal neuroimaging combined with multi-omics reveals cerebral structural and functional changes in COVID-19

Motivation: COVID-19's neurological effects remain ambiguous, with limited exploration of neuroimaging changes versus clinical symptoms, especially through pre-SARS-CoV-2 exposure longitudinal imaging, remains less explored. Goal(s): Understand brain change patterns and identify therapeutic targets for post-COVID-19 brain injury and neuropsychiatric effects. Approach: Utilized consistent neuroimaging on patients in acute recovery across two centers. Employed multiple clinical tools to gauge neuropsychiatric manifestations. Blood samples analyzed for protein profiles indicative of inflammation and neural damage. Results: Found significant vulnerability in the limbic lobe, observed contrasting pathological changes in symmetrical brain regions, and highlighted potential genetic and neurotrophic factors influencing neuropsychiatric symptoms post-COVID-19. Impact: This study offers clinicians a clearer path to target COVID-19-related neuropsychiatric symptoms. It prompts further inquiry into genetic influences on brain alterations, enabling tailored therapeutic strategies for affected patients.