Study describes how COVID-19 damages the brain

A study shows how SARS-COV-2 infects brain cells called astrocytes, causing structural changes in the brain. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 can cause brain alterations and neurocognitive dysfunction, particularly in long COVID-19 syndrome, but the underlying mechanisms are elusive.

Daniel Martins-de-Souza and colleagues used MRI to compare brain structure in 81 study participants recovering from a mild COVID-19 infection and 81 healthy individuals.