Causal Effects of COVID-19 on Structural Changes in Specific Brain Regions: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Lancet Preprint

Background: Previous studies have found a correlation between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and changes in brain structure and cognitive impairment, but it remains unclear whether COVID-19 causes structural changes to the brain and which specific brain regions may be affected. Herein, we conduct a Mendelian randomization (MR) study to determine this causal relationship and to identify specific brain regions vulnerable to COVID-19.