A recent study led by UCL researchers has actually found that individuals living with long COVID and experiencing anosmia (loss of odor) show different brain activity patterns compared to those who have recuperated their sense of odor or never ever had COVID-19. The observational research study utilized MRI scans and discovered reduced brain activity and impaired interaction in between the orbitofrontal cortex and the pre-frontal cortex in people with long COVID anosmia. The findings suggest that long COVID anosmia might be linked to a modification in the brain that prevents smells from being processed properly, but because it is scientifically reversible, olfactory training may help the brain recuperate this sense. The research study likewise found that the brains of individuals with long Covid anosmia might be compensating by improving connections with other sensory areas.
A recent research study led by UCL researchers has found that individuals living with long COVID and experiencing anosmia (loss of odor) show various brain activity patterns compared to those who have actually recuperated their sense of odor or never had COVID-19. The findings recommend that long COVID anosmia may be linked to a modification in the brain that prevents smells from being processed appropriately, however given that it is clinically reversible, olfactory training may assist the brain recover this sense.
Individuals dealing with long COVID who suffer from loss of odor show various patterns of activity in particular areas of the brain, a new research study led by University College London (UCL) researchers has discovered.
The research used MRI scanning to compare the brain activity of individuals with long COVID who lost their sense of smell, those whose smell had returned to typical after COVID infection, and individuals who had actually never tested favorable for COVID-19.
Published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, the observational research study discovered that people with long COVID odor loss had actually reduced brain activity and impaired interaction between two parts of the brain that procedure crucial odor information: the orbitofrontal cortex and the pre-frontal cortex. This connection was not impaired in people who had regained their sense of odor after COVID.
The findings suggest odor loss, called anosmia, brought on by long COVID is linked to a modification in the brain that stops smells from being processed properly. Because its scientifically reversible, as displayed in some subjects, it may be possible to retrain the brain to recuperate its sense of odor in individuals suffering the side impacts of long COVID.
Dr. Jed Wingrove (UCL Department of Medicine) the lead author of the study, stated: “Persistent loss of smell is just one method long COVID is still impacting peoples lifestyle– smell is something we consider approved, but it guides us in great deals of methods and is closely connected to our general health and wellbeing. Our research study provides reassurance that, for most of individuals whose sense of smell returns, there are no permanent modifications to brain activity.”
Joint senior author, Professor Claudia Wheeler-Kingshott ( UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology), said: “Our findings highlight the impact COVID-19 is having on brain function. They raise the appealing possibility that olfactory training– that is, retraining the brain to process various aromas– might help the brain to recuperate lost pathways, and help people with long COVID recover their sense of odor.”
Scientists state their findings also recommend that the brains of individuals with long COVID smell loss may be compensating for this lost sense by boosting connections with other sensory areas: their brains had increased activity between the parts of the brain that process smell and areas that process sight (the visual cortex).
” This tells us that the neurons that would generally process smell are still there, however theyre just working in a various method,” said Dr. Wingrove.
Teacher Rachel Batterham (UCL Division of Medicine), also joint senior author of the research study stated: “This is the first research study to our understanding that looks at how brain activity changes in people with long COVID odor loss. It constructs on the work we carried out throughout the very first wave of the pandemic, which was one of the first to describe the link in between COVID-19 infection with both loss of odor and taste.”
Reference: “Aberrant olfactory network functional connectivity in people with olfactory dysfunction following COVID-19 infection: an exploratory, observational research study” by Jed Wingrove, Janine Makaronidis, Ferran Prados, Baris Kanber, Marios C. Yiannakas, Cormac Magee, Gloria Castellazzi, Louis Grandjean, Xavier Golay, Carmen Tur, Olga Ciccarelli, Egidio DAngelo, Claudia A.M. Gandini Wheeler-Kingshott and Rachel L. Batterham, 2 March 2023, eClinicalMedicine.DOI: 10.1016/ j.eclinm.2023.101883.
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)..