Mood symptoms, cognitive function, and changes of brain hemodynamics in patients with COVID-19: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study

There were significant differences in the bilateral Broca area and DLPFC between the COVID-19-infected and uninfected groups, which may be the reason why COVID-19 infection impairs cognitive function and language function and leads to psychiatric symptoms. In addition, the rsFC in patients with COVID-19 was positively correlated with the severity of depression and anxiety, which may be related to the fact that the mental symptoms of patients with COVID-19 are characterized by depression and anxiety, rather than depression or anxiety alone. Our study provides evidence that the psychological and emotional issues caused by COVID-19 are not only due to external social factors but also involve more direct brain neural mechanisms and abnormal neural circuits, which also provide insights into the future treatment and prognosis of individuals with COVID-19.