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- Title
Cortical GABA Levels Are Reduced in Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome.
- Authors
Marinkovic, Ksenija; White, David R.; Alderson Myers, Austin; Parker, Katie S.; Arienzo, Donatello; Mason, Graeme F.
- Abstract
After recovering from the acute COVID-19 illness, a substantial proportion of people continue experiencing post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also termed "long COVID". Their quality of life is adversely impacted by persistent cognitive dysfunction and affective distress, but the underlying neural mechanisms are poorly understood. The present study recruited a group of mostly young, previously healthy adults (24.4 ± 5.2 years of age) who experienced PASC for almost 6 months following a mild acute COVID-19 illness. Confirming prior evidence, they reported noticeable memory and attention deficits, brain fog, depression/anxiety, fatigue, and other symptoms potentially suggestive of excitation/inhibition imbalance. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was used to examine the neurochemical aspects of cell signaling with an emphasis on GABA levels in the occipital cortex. The PASC participants were compared to a control (CNT) group matched in demographics, intelligence, and an array of other variables. Controlling for tissue composition, biological sex, and alcohol intake, the PASC group had lower GABA+/water than CNT, which correlated with depression and poor sleep quality. The mediation analysis revealed that the impact of PASC on depression was partly mediated by lower GABA+/water, indicative of cortical hyperexcitability as an underlying mechanism. In addition, N-acetylaspartate (NAA) tended to be lower in the PASC group, possibly suggesting compromised neuronal integrity. Persistent neuroinflammation may contribute to the pathogenesis of PASC-related neurocognitive dysfunction.
- Subjects
POST-acute COVID-19 syndrome; PROTON magnetic resonance spectroscopy; GABA; SLEEP quality; COGNITION disorders
- Publication
Brain Sciences (2076-3425), 2023, Vol 13, Issue 12, p1666
- ISSN
2076-3425
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/brainsci13121666