Scans from 800 people showed brain damage after COVID-19

🧠 Even a mild case of COVID-19 can damage your brain.

A new Oxford study shows subtle shrinkage in areas tied to smell, memory, and cognition. 

Researchers analyzed brain scans from nearly 800 participants in the UK Biobank—half of whom had tested positive for COVID-19, mostly with mild symptoms.

 Comparing pre- and post-pandemic scans, the team found small but measurable shrinkage in brain areas related to smell, memory, and cognition. 

On average, those who had COVID-19 lost 0.2% to 2% more brain volume than those who hadn’t, especially in regions like the olfactory cortex and hippocampus. While these changes are subtle, they happened unusually quickly—comparable to accelerated aging.

The findings don’t suggest lasting memory loss or severe impairment, and most participants experienced only minor dips in cognitive test performance. Experts stress the brain's remarkable ability to recover. 

“The brain is really plastic,” noted lead author Dr. Gwenaëlle Douaud, adding that the observed effects may improve over time. Similar volume changes can occur with other illnesses or natural aging, but COVID’s speed and reach add to growing evidence that the virus affects more than just the respiratory system. Even after mild infections, the brain may continue healing long after symptoms subside.

Source: "Brain scans from almost 800 UK Biobank participants reveal damage in ‘smell centre’ – but it’s likely that the brain can heal itself." UK Biobank.