ABSTRACT
Background: Olfactory impairments and anosmia from COVID-19 infection typically resolve within 2-4 weeks, although in some cases, symptoms persist longer. COVID-19-related anosmia is associated with olfactory bulb atrophy, however, the impact on cortical structures is relatively unknown, particularly in those with long-term symptoms. Methods: In this exploratory, observational study, we studied individuals who experienced COVID-19-related anosmia, with or without recovered sense of smell, and compared against individuals with no prior COVID-19 infection (confirmed by antibody testing, all vaccine naïve). MRI Imaging was carried out between the 15th July and 17th November 2020 at the Queen Square House Clinical Scanning Facility, UCL, United Kingdom. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and structural imaging, we assessed differences in functional connectivity (FC) between olfactory regions, whole brain grey matter (GM) cerebral blood flow (CBF) and GM density. Findings: Individuals with anosmia showed increased FC between the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), visual association cortex and cerebellum and FC reductions between the right OFC and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex compared to those with no prior COVID-19 infection (p < 0.05, from whole brain statistical parametric map analysis). Individuals with anosmia also showed greater CBF in the left insula, hippocampus and ventral posterior cingulate when compared to those with resolved anosmia (p < 0.05, from whole brain statistical parametric map analysis). Interpretation: This work describes, for the first time to our knowledge, functional differences within olfactory areas and regions involved in sensory processing and cognitive functioning. This work identifies key areas for further research and potential target sites for therapeutic strategies. Funding: This study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and supported by the Queen Square Scanner business case.
ABSTRACT
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) confirmed cases in the world still occurred more than 1.5 years after the first cases outbreak in Wuhan, China. Education is a main key to deal with this pandemic. The information on how to prevent COVID-19 continues to be informed by direct approach and by using advertisements on television, radio, printed media, and on the internet are being provided to gain the awareness to the people. Consumer neuroscience is necessarily needed and important for understanding consumer behavior. This research paper proposed the techniques to collect the visual data of COVID-19 advertisements by using electroencephalogram (EEG) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to understand the brain activity. The results of this research can be useful to create a better COVID-19 advertisement that can attract people to memorize the health protocol. © 2021 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Introduction The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first known by its respiratory symptoms. Neurological complications are increasingly seen and described. Our case emphasizes the difficulties of differential diagnosis between encephalitis and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in SARS-COV2 patients. Case report A healthy 62 years old man tested positive for COVID-19 during a travel procedure. He was admitted to hospital because of a sudden drop of oxygen saturation from 99% to 89% with pulmonary CT scan showing a parenchymal bilateral ground-glass lesions and consolidative opacities of about 50% of lung while the patient remained asymptomatic. After he has been discharged from hospital he developed isolated executive disorders. Post COVID-19 encephalitis or PTSD were questioning. Discussion and conclusion Our patient had an acute hypoxemia which is well known to be associated with executive disorders such as in acute respiratory distress. But these signs appeared after the COVID-19 came negative hence the executive disorders were likely to be related to direct brain infection or to a non-infectious condition like the PTSD. Functional neuroimaging is then the gold standard to rule out a brain damage.