Severe COVID is equivalent to 20 years of ageing, can bring on early dementia: New study

Researchers say that preliminary evidence having highlighted a possible association between severe COVID-19 and persistent cognitive deficits, they set out to study the same. Several patients had been reporting symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, mental health problems, “brain fog”, problems recalling words, sleep disturbances, anxiety and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) several weeks and even months after recovering from a COVID-19 infection.How the study was carried out:

1. 46 individuals who received critical care for COVID-19 were chosen as part of the case studies.
2. These patients with COVID-19 were admitted to Addenbrooke’s hospital between 10th March 2020 and 31st July 2020, 16 of them were also mechanically ventilated.
3. Researchers put them through detailed computerised cognitive assessment.
4. They were assessed on scales measuring levels of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) under supervised conditions.
5. Follow up was carried out for a period of about six months following acute illness.

Faster ageing by 20 years and the onset of early dementia? Could the brain of the ones who recover from COVID be affected by the Cytokine storm their immunity raises? Or did the virus have infected the brain of the patient to cause cognitive decline?

(Photo: Stock)Findings and Conclusion:Especially those patients who were hospitalised with severe COVID results – the kind that is sustained by people in their 50s through 70 years of age and is the equivalent of losing ten IQ points. Sadly, there also seems no immediate reversal or release from these symptoms for such patients as the effects are still detectable more than six months after the acute illness. Researchers also noted that recovery to mental health and cognitive capacities prior to infection is not guaranteed and at best, is gradual if any.In another finding along similar lines, the COVID-19 Long-haulers also ran the risk of developing dementia and dying earlier than they would have if the battle with COVID-19 had not happened. According to Conversation.com, incidental findings from a large citizen-science project (the Great British Intelligence Test) also showed that even mild cases of COVID-19 can lead to persistent cognitive symptoms.

The study funded by the Department of Health and Social Care in England found that the more severe the COVID-19 illness, the worse the cognitive symptoms. This is a prospect worth researching and correcting as an increasing body of evidence suggests that being more intelligent could help your brain to age better by lowering your dementia risk, be more successful and may even help you live longer.Conversation.com also explores the causes behind the cognitive decline post-COVID-19 recovery. It could be the fallout of the inflammatory (immune) response that the body launches in the initial stages of infection and this inflammatory response quickly spirals out of control in the form of a cytokine storm. An exaggerated immune response mediated by an array of cytokines plays a role in the pathogenesis of the disease.

It also cites that there is evidence that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, can infect brain cells and that direct viral infection of the brain cannot be ruled out. “Other factors, such as hypoxia (low oxygen levels in the blood), may also have a role. It was also unclear whether the pervasive problems with psychological health reported after COVID were part of the same problem as the objective cognitive deficits, or represented a different phenomenon,” concludes the Conversation.com report.Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.