Association of COVID-19 related anosmia and the structural development of the primary olfactory cortex and hippocampus among pediatric individuals

Introduction/Objectives: COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the social aspect of child development. However, few studies have examined its impact on the structural development of children's brains—particularly the olfactory bulb—given the reported anosmia often among those who acquired the virus. This study aims to assess potential structural differences in the olfactory system among children with reported past COVID-19 infections compared with children who did not report having COVID-19 using data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study.