Neurological fundamentals of long-term COVID-19 induced smell and gustatory dysfunctions – a pilot study

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COVID-19 affected more than 640 million persons over the last 3 years. Smell and gustatory dysfunction (dysosmia/dysgeusia) are the most common symptoms which have been found to persist in more than half of recovered patients. Dysosmia/dysgeusia affect flavor perception, which is compensated by an increased use salt and fat. Therefore, it can be expected that long-lasting dysosmia/dysgeusia may lead to unhealthy eating behaviors and contribute to weight gain and obesity. To identify the fundamentals and consequences of long-lasting COVID-19 related dysosmia/dysgeusia, we aim at investigating the structural and functional changes in brain regions involved in flavor perception and subsequent reward processing, as well as their influence on food choices and body weight. A total of ~180 patients with long-COVID-19 syndrome, will be recruited at the BG Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil Bochum. Patients’ body mass index, olfactory/gustatory perception, and function and structure of corresponding brain regions will be assessed at baseline (i.e., directly after their one-week inpatient stay) and 1 year later. Eating behavior will be continually assessed with a smartphone application during the 12 months in-between both sessions. Findings should contribute to the better understanding of the most frequent long-lasting COVID-19 symptom and may in future allow the functional modulation of brain regions involved in dysosmia/dysgeusia.