COVID-19 and the Brain

The main objective of this project is: 1. To assess the impact of COVID-19 on the brain and executive functioning. Twenty adult subjects of UZ Brussels (volunteers), who needed intensive care due to COVID-19 (n=10) or exhibited mild symptoms due to COVID-19 (n=10), will be recruited after hospital discharge. After signing an informed consent the subjects will undergo brain scans (T1, DTI, SWI, DWI, FLAIR MRI and rsfMRI), an emotion regulation task and a neurocognitive test battery. The latter test battery will be performed using an iPad and will test different neurocognitive functions such as memory, abstract thinking, spatial orientation and attention. The duration of the test battery is 18min. The total duration of one trial is estimated at one hour and a half. All tests are planned at the department of Radiology-Magnetic Resonance (UZ Brussel). After three months patients will visit the department of Radiology-Magnetic Resonance a second time for the same experimental trial. Additionally, a matched control group (n = 20; non covid or ICU patients) will be included and undergo the same tests in order to compare the results of the brain scans, emotional regulation task and neurocognitive test battery with results of both Covid-groups. Next to objective data, questionnaires will be filled out, i.e. visual analogue scales of mental and physical fatigue, Profile of Mood States and some additional return to work questions.