Structural and metabolic brain abnormalities in COVID-19 patients with sudden loss of smell.

Maxime NiesenNicola TrottaAntoine NoelTim CoolenGeorges FayadGil Leurkin-SterkIsabelle DelpierreSophie HenrardNiloufar SadeghiJean-Christophe GoffardSerge GoldmanXavier De Tiège

Published in: European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging (2021)

This PET-MR study suggests that sudden loss of smell in COVID-19 is not related to central involvement due to SARS-CoV-2 neuroinvasiveness. Loss of smell is associated with subtle cerebral metabolic changes in core olfactory and high-order cortical areas likely related to combined processes of deafferentation and active functional reorganization secondary to the lack of olfactory stimulation.

Keyphrases

sars cov
respiratory syndrome coronavirus
coronavirus disease
computed tomography
white matter
resting state
cerebral ischemia
multiple sclerosis
contrast enhanced