Researchers have found that the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) can lead to long-term loss of brain tissue. Researchers from University of Oxford have shown that coronavirus disease isn’t just a disease of the lungs, heart, kidneys and liver, it can also affect brain.

Even before this finding, many Covid-19 patients were reported to have suffered from neurological problems, including 'brain fog', loss of a sense of smell and taste, and stroke.

PTI, a news agency, reported that the study had used data from the UK Biobank, which holds genetic data, detailed medical records and brain scans of more than 40 thousand participants, predating the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the finding, all traits that showed a reduction in brain tissue associated with a Covid-19 infection were in regions of the brain devoted to the sense of smell.

For the study, the researchers had selected 394 positive 'cases' for Covid-19 between March 2020 and April 2021, out of the 782 participants. The remaining 388 participants were the 'controls' --people who hadn’t had Covid-19. The cases were matched with 'controls' on factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, blood pressure and body-mass index. Most of the cases had moderate symptoms or no symptoms at all.

Then the researchers had compared the brain changes, inviting back and scanning brains the second time of both the 'cases' and 'controls'. Then they had reached the conclusion. However, the finding is yet to be peer reviewed.