SciTech Daily COVID-19 is widely recognized for its impact on the lungs, but growing evidence shows that the virus can also cause lasting changes in the brain, even in people who have fully recovered. These findings point to potential long-term neurological consequences that extend beyond the acute phase of the illness.
In a new study, researchers from Griffith University’s National Centre for Neuroimmunology and Emerging Disease (NCNED) used advanced MRI techniques to examine brain health in individuals who had previously been infected with COVID-19 and compared the results with those from people who had never contracted the virus.
The results revealed clear signs that a past COVID-19 infection can leave detectable changes in the brain, even when individuals report no ongoing symptoms, suggesting that the effects of the virus may persist quietly after recovery.