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@ARTICLE{Bendella:283100,
      author       = {Bendella, Zeynep and Widmann, Catherine Nichols and
                      Kindler, Christine and Haase, Robert and Sauer, Malte and
                      Heneka, Michael and Radbruch, Alexander and Schmeel,
                      Frederic Carsten},
      title        = {{L}ongitudinal {M}onitoring of {B}rain {V}olume {C}hanges
                      {A}fter {COVID}-19 {I}nfection {U}sing {A}rtificial
                      {I}ntelligence-{B}ased {MRI} {V}olumetry.},
      journal      = {Diagnostics},
      volume       = {15},
      number       = {24},
      issn         = {2075-4418},
      address      = {Basel},
      publisher    = {MDPI},
      reportid     = {DZNE-2025-01507},
      pages        = {3244},
      year         = {2025},
      abstract     = {Background/Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 infection has been linked
                      to long-term neurological sequelae and structural brain
                      alterations. Previous analyses, including baseline results
                      from the COVIMMUNE-Clin study, showed brain volume
                      reductions in COVID-19 patients. Longitudinal data on
                      progression are scarce. This study examined brain volume
                      changes 12 months after baseline MRI in individuals who have
                      recovered from mild or severe COVID-19 compared with
                      controls. Methods: In this IRB-approved cohort study, 112
                      out of 172 recruited age- and sex-matched participants (38
                      controls, 36 mild/asymptomatic 38 severe COVID-19) underwent
                      standardized brain MRI 12 months after baseline. Volumetric
                      analysis was performed using AI-based software (mdbrain).
                      Regional volumes were compared between groups with respect
                      to absolute and normalized values. Multivariate regression
                      controlled for demographics. Results: After 12 months, a
                      significant decline in right hippocampal volume was observed
                      across all groups, most pronounced in severe COVID-19 (SEV:
                      Δ = -0.32 mL, p = 0.001). Normalized to intracranial
                      volume, the reduction remained significant (SEV: Δ =
                      -0.0003, p = 0.001; ASY: Δ = -0.0001, p = 0.001; CTL:
                      minimal reduction, Δ ≈ 0, p = 0.005). Minor reductions in
                      frontal and parietal lobes (e.g., right frontal SEV: Δ =
                      -1.35 mL, p = 0.001), largely fell within physiological
                      norms. These mild regional changes are consistent with
                      expected ageing-related variability and do not suggest
                      pathological progression. No widespread progressive atrophy
                      was detected. Conclusions: This study demonstrates delayed,
                      severity-dependent right hippocampal atrophy in recovered
                      COVID-19 patients, suggesting long-term vulnerability of
                      this memory-related region. In contrast, no progression of
                      atrophy in other areas was observed. These findings
                      highlight the need for extended post-COVID neurological
                      monitoring, particularly of hippocampal integrity and its
                      cognitive relevance.},
      keywords     = {COVID-19 (Other) / SARS-CoV-2 (Other) / artificial
                      intelligence (Other) / brain atrophy (Other) / hippocampal
                      volume (Other) / magnetic resonance imaging (Other)},
      cin          = {AG Radbruch / AG Heneka},
      ddc          = {610},
      cid          = {I:(DE-2719)5000075 / I:(DE-2719)1011303},
      pnm          = {353 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF4-353)},
      pid          = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-353},
      typ          = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
      pubmed       = {pmid:41464243},
      doi          = {10.3390/diagnostics15243244},
      url          = {https://pub.dzne.de/record/283100},
}