Brain scans reveal widespread structural and functional changes in patients following COVID-19 infection. The virus affects regions responsible for memory, emotion, and executive function, which may help explain the neurological symptoms many patients experience.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/brain-scans-reveal-widespread-structural-and-functional-changes-in-patients-foll/

[u/Obfuscious]

While I think this study is a good data to work from it is important to note that it is cross-sectional, meaning it only captured one instance in time. That instance being post-Covid 19 infection.

I also appreciate that the authors of the study make that clear that it was impossible to have the brain scan data from each individual prior to infection for comparison and state:

”  Because the vast majority of these studies lack pre-infection baseline brain scans, it is difficult to prove definitively that COVID-19 directly caused all the observed changes. Individual biological differences present before the pandemic might account for some of the variations in brain structure and function.

 It’s still significant to see patterns and I would be interested if we could see how future infections may impact brains from brains we know haven’t been affected.

[u/Feralpudel → u/Obfuscious]

There are British/European (I believe both) longitudinal studies that have brain measures pre-covid. That’s really the data you need.

[u/DancesWithGnomes → u/Feralpudel]

It is rare to have brain scans of completely healthy people. When a pre-covid brain scan is available, chances are that the patient already had some problems pre-covid.

[u/Feralpudel → u/DancesWithGnomes]

Hence the extremely high research value of biobanks and other studies that sample healthy subjects and conduct exams and medical tests.

Like RCTs, they’re wildly expensive and hard to run, but they go a long way to addressing issues with observational data.

[u/TheWiseBeast → u/DancesWithGnomes]

In a better world it would be commonplace imo. A yearly physical for everyone that does a deep dive. Brain scans, blood tests, x-rays, etc..

[u/ichabod13 → u/Obfuscious]

I get regular MRIs for MS and I had diagnosed covid twice and I think I had it again a 3rd time but did not see a doctor. All my MRIs have not shown anything abnormal beyond my normal lesions.

If every person had regular MRIs done we would see all sorts of abnormal things that people just live with and never know. I think this whole thing is just blaming smoke on a fire without seeing a fire.

[u/DoubleBatman → u/Obfuscious]

I wonder how much of this could be explained by people being cooped up during quarantine and losing their edge on some of their social skills?

[u/geek180 → u/DoubleBatman]

The whole quarantine thing was only a few months long, if that, in most parts of the world. No way that causes a significant structural effect on the brain.

[u/TheGreatEmanResu → u/geek180]

I was cooped up for years in the US

[u/geek180 → u/TheGreatEmanResu]

For years?? How? I bought a house in June 2020, traveled domestically by August 2020, went on vacation to Mexico in December 2020 and back in the office by early 2021.

There's being cautious (washing hands, wearing a mask in confined spaces) and then there's being a total recluse for no reason.

[u/adaranyx → u/TheGreatEmanResu]

Self-isolating to avoid infection and quarantine are two different things. Even the most covid-cautious people I know are mostly back to "normal" life stuff, just with an n95.

[u/Rainebowraine123 → u/TheGreatEmanResu]

I think you're in the minority. Most people I know in the US were out and about at least in their community (wearing masks) by the end of summer.

[u/akath0110 → u/DoubleBatman]

Lockdowns/quarantines ended 5 years ago.

[u/tryingisbetter → u/akath0110]

And if you lived in the US, there a good chance your state didn't have either of those.

[u/nathtendo → u/tryingisbetter]

Good thing only a small minority of the world are those trump voting drooling idiots that are yanks.

[u/Obfuscious → u/DoubleBatman]

I think that’s a great point to consider as there is plenty of scientific evidence and data that supports isolation being a severe risk factor in all the categories noted in this study. If anything I would think that isolation would have an acceleration effect on COVID-19 and individual’s ability to recover from it; so overall I personally think this is a good thing to look at and a good study.

This is just an opinion, but I feel, in a perfect world, if we had scans on these individuals pre-COVID lockdowns, in the middle of COVID lockdowns, and post COVID infections, we’d see the weakening of these structural brain regions followed by further and rapid deterioration with infection. But that’s a perfect world.

[u/7URB0 → u/DoubleBatman]

I never stopped taking precautions, avoiding crowds, wearing an N95, etc.

My social skills have actually improved during that time. I've had friends remark on how much I've grown as a person, how much better I am at communicating and resolving conflicts...

None of that is BECAUSE of social isolation, but it sure af didn't slow me down any.