Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38850121›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of neurology2025

Cognitive deficits and cortical volume loss in COVID-19-related hyposmia.

Haşim Gezegen, Ulaş Ay, Bedia Samancı, Elif Kurt, Sanem Sultan Yörük, Alpay Medetalibeyoğlu, Cömert Şen, Erdi Şahin, Mehmet Barbüroğlu, Faruk Uğur Doğan and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Olfactory Dysfunction and Cognitive Decline: Are They Related?Current allergy and asthma reports · 2025
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Neuroimmune pathophysiology of long COVID.Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences · 2025
    Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Haşim GezegenBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-8954-7437
Ulaş AyNeuroimaging Unit, Istanbul University Hulusi Behçet Life Sciences Research Laboratory, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0001-7896-3681
Bedia SamancıBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Elif KurtDepartment of Neuroscience, Istanbul University Aziz Sancar Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
Sanem Sultan YörükBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Alpay MedetalibeyoğluDepartment of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Cömert ŞenDepartment of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Erdi ŞahinBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-5792-2888
Mehmet BarbüroğluDepartment of Radiology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Faruk Uğur DoğanBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Başar BilgiçBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0001-6032-0856
Haşmet HanağasıBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.
Hakan GürvitBehavioral Neurology and Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Funding

Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University TSA 37171
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeStudies have found that up to 73% of COVID-19 patients experience hyposmia. It is unclear if the loss of smell in COVID-19 is due to damage to the peripheral or central mechanisms. This study aimed to explore the impacts of COVID-19-induced hyposmia on brain structure and cognitive functions.

methodsThe study included 36 hyposmic (h-COV) and 21 normosmic (n-COV) participants who had recovered from mild COVID-19 infection, as well as 25 healthy controls (HCs). All participants underwent neurological examination, neuropsychiatric assessment and Sniffin' Sticks tests. High-resolution anatomical images were collected; olfactory bulb (OB) volume and cortical thickness were measured.

resultsAddenbrooke's Cognitive Examination-Revised total and language sub-scores were slightly but significantly lower in the h-COV group compared to the HC group (p = 0.04 and p = 0.037). The h-COV group exhibited poorer performance in the Sniffin' Sticks test terms of discrimination score, identification score and the composite score compared to the n-COV and HC groups (p < 0.001, p = 0.001 and p = 0.002 respectively). A decrease in left and right OB volumes was observed in the h-COV group compared to the n-COV and HC groups (p = 0.003 and p = 0.006 respectively). The cortical thickness analysis revealed atrophy in the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex in the h-COV group compared to HCs. A significant low positive correlation of varying degrees was detected between discrimination and identification scores and both OB and left orbital sulci.

conclusionTemporary or permanent hyposmia after COVID-19 infection leads to atrophy in the OB and olfactory-related cortical structures and subtle cognitive problems in the long term.

Indexed as

AnosmiaCerebral CortexCognitive DysfunctionCOVID-19AdultAgedAtrophyFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsOlfactory Bulbcortical atrophyCOVID‐19hyposmiaMRIneurological impact

Identifiers

PMID38850121
PMCPMC11618109

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.