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Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
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Fixel based analysis on diffusion MRI of COVID-19 survivors
Sapna S Mishra1, Tapan Kumar Gandhi1, Bharat Biswal2
1Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India.
Neuroimage. Reports
|June 26, 2025
Summary
Long COVID may cause lasting brain changes. Diffusion MRI revealed significant microstructural differences in the brains of COVID-19 survivors compared to healthy individuals, impacting key neural pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Long-term sequelae of COVID-19, such as fatigue and cognitive deficits, lack understood mechanisms.
- Neurological impacts of COVID-19 infection require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sub-voxel microstructural properties in COVID-19 survivors using Diffusion MRI.
- To compare brain tissue microstructural metrics between COVID-Recovered Patients (CRPs) and Healthy Controls (HCs).
Main Methods:
- Utilized Fixel-based analysis on Diffusion MRI scans from 73 CRPs and 46 HCs.
- Compared Fiber Density (FD), log scaled Fiber Cross-section (log-FC), and Fiber Density and Cross-section (FDC) measures.
- Applied statistical analysis with a Family-Wise Error (FWE) correction (pFWE < 0.01).
Main Results:
- Significant alterations observed in multiple white matter tracts, including the uncinate fasciculus, perigenual corpus callosum, fornix, arcuate fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and corticospinal tract.
- Observed changes in FD, log-FC, and FDC suggest microscopic alterations in axonal volume.
- Identified affected tracts involve the limbic system and visuospatial attention network.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 infection is associated with significant white matter microstructural changes.
- These neuroimaging findings may explain long-term neurological sequelae like cognitive impairment.
- The study enhances understanding of the neurological underpinnings of COVID-19.
