Possible Role of Endocannabinoids in Olfactory and Taste Dysfunctions in COVID-19 Patients and Volumetric Changes in the Brain

IF 1 4区医学 Q4 Neuroscience

Chemosensory Perception Pub Date : 2022-10-12 DOI:10.1007/s12078-022-09301-1

Zafer Ergül, Zülal Kaptan, Ayhan Kars, Gülşah Biçer, Çetin Kılınç, Emine Petekkaya, Nilay Çöplü

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Abstract

Introduction

COVID-19 infection develops neurologic symptoms such as smell and taste loss. We aimed to determine the volumetric changes in the brain and correlation of possible related biochemical parameters and endocannabinoid levels after COVID-19 recovery.

Methods

Brain magnetic resonance images of recovered COVID-19 patients and healthy volunteers, whose olfactory and gustatory scores were obtained through a questionnaire, were taken, and the volumes of the brain regions associated with taste and smell were measured by automatic and semiautomatic methods. Endocannabinoids (EC), which are critical in the olfactory system, and vitamin B12, zinc, iron, ferritin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroxine (T4) levels, which are reported to have possible roles in olfactory disorders, were measured in peripheral blood.

Results

Taste and smell disorder scores and EC levels were found to be higher in recovered COVID-19 patients compared to controls. EC levels were negatively correlated with bilateral entorhinal cortex (ENT) volumes in the COVID-19 group. Subgenual anterior cingulate cortex volumes showed correlations with gustatory complaints and ferritin in recovered COVID-19 patients.

Conclusions

The critical finding of our study is the high EC levels and negative correlation between EC levels and left ENT volumes in recovered COVID-19 patients.

Implications

It is possible that ECs are potential neuromodulators in many conditions leading to olfactory disorders, including COVID-19.

Abstract Image

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内源性大麻素在COVID-19患者嗅觉和味觉功能障碍以及大脑体积变化中的可能作用

covid -19感染会出现嗅觉和味觉丧失等神经系统症状。我们旨在确定COVID-19恢复后脑容量变化以及可能的相关生化参数与内源性大麻素水平的相关性。方法采集新冠肺炎康复患者和健康志愿者的脑磁共振图像，通过问卷调查获得嗅觉和味觉评分，并采用自动和半自动方法测量与味觉和嗅觉相关的脑区体积。测量外周血中对嗅觉系统至关重要的内源性大麻素(EC)和维生素B12、锌、铁、铁蛋白、促甲状腺激素(TSH)和甲状腺素(T4)水平，据报道，这些物质可能在嗅觉障碍中起作用。结果康复患者味觉、嗅觉障碍评分及EC水平均高于对照组。COVID-19组EC水平与双侧内嗅皮质(ENT)体积呈负相关。亚属前扣带皮层体积与恢复的COVID-19患者的味觉不适和铁蛋白相关。结论本研究的关键发现是COVID-19康复患者EC水平高，且EC水平与左耳鼻喉容积呈负相关。在包括COVID-19在内的许多导致嗅觉障碍的疾病中，ECs可能是潜在的神经调节剂。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Chemosensory Perception 农林科学-神经科学

CiteScore

2.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

>36 weeks

期刊介绍： Coverage in Chemosensory Perception includes animal work with implications for human phenomena and explores the following areas: Identification of chemicals producing sensory response; Identification of sensory response associated with chemicals; Human in vivo response to chemical stimuli; Human in vitro response to chemical stimuli; Neuroimaging of chemosensory function; Neurological processing of chemoreception; Chemoreception mechanisms; Psychophysics of chemoperception; Trigeminal function; Multisensory perception; Contextual effect on chemoperception; Behavioral response to chemical stimuli; Physiological factors affecting and contributing to chemoperception; Flavor and hedonics; Memory and chemoperception.