The most difficult moment of the Covid-19 pandemic is behind us, although it is now that we are learning more about the terrible disease. In accordance with a study published in eClinicalMedicinethe sister magazine of The Lancet, some people who were hospitalized for severe Covid have persistent cognitive impairment.
The study, of 46 people receiving intensive care at a UK hospital, found that some of them were left with particular deficiencies. The researchers applied cognitive tests to each using the Cognitron platform. They then compared the results with a base of 10 people matched to each patient, divided by age, gender, education and language.
British scientists found that patients hospitalized for Covid scored lower than other people. The most obvious effects are slower processing speed and problems with verbal reasoning, mainly when making analogies. The results are lower in patients who were connected to a mechanical ventilator.
The researchers applied two tests, the first at six months after hospitalization and the second at ten months. The conclusion is that, in the best of cases, cognitive recovery is likely to be slow.
Some previous studies have observed significant recovery over time in terms of cognitive symptoms and imaging measures of brain function. Consistent with these studies, we observed slow and nonsignificant trends toward reduced deficits in both accuracy and response latency as a function of time since illness.
The improvement process depends on other factors and more studies with different time frames are required to trace recovery trajectories.
The cognitive deterioration caused by Covid is similar to that which occurs between the ages of 50 and 70
Cognitive impairment in people hospitalized for severe Covid is similar to the decline seen between the ages of 50 and 70. The scientists conclude that further research is required to determine whether cognitive deficits are related to clinical features of the acute phase, or to mental health status at the time of assessment.
The studies that have been done show the effect that Covid-19 has on our mental health. One of the most common post-Covid ailments is the mint mistl. Researchers published in the Journal of Infection a follow-up of 120 patients who were hospitalized for Covid-19. 34% of them reported memory loss, while 28% said they had concentration problems.
According to Dr. Alexander Merkler, a neurologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital, brain fog manifests as memory loss, trouble finding words, or loss of attention. In an interview with Health MattersMerkler and his colleague, Dr. Mitchell Elkind, say that many of the patients have not had strokes, seizures or some other neurological problem that triggered this effect.
In some cases brain fog is disproportionate to the disease. People recovered from mild Covid and had lasting cognitive problems.