The traces COVID-19 leaves in the brain. Effects felt even after two years

It is still unknown what changes in the body are caused by SARS-CoV-2. There is no doubt, however, that the coronavirus is hitting the nervous system, including the brain. It may be up to 70 percent. people after COVID-19. Recent studies show what specific threats to the brain are posed by Delta mutation and Omicron infections, and how long they persist. The conclusions are very worrying, although there are also optimistic signs.

1. A study published on August 17 in The Lancet Psychiatry analyzes the neurological and psychiatric disorders that can occur in people after coronavirus infection
2. It turns out that even after two years, people who had had SARS-CoV-2 infection were at increased risk of several neurological and psychiatric disorders, including dementia and seizures.
3. After the first six months after infection, children were diagnosed with, inter alia, cognitive deficit, insomnia, and seizures
4. Adults had an increased risk of brain fog, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures, even at the end of the two-year follow-up period
5. In adults, there was an increased risk of brain fog, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures at the end of the 2-year follow-up period
6. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

How COVID-19 changes the brain. Two main conclusions: good and bad

The scale of the long-term consequences of COVID-19 is worrying more and more. There is a growing concern that a wave of chronic diseases is ahead. According to estimates, complications may occur in over 100 million people. We are also worried about the magnitude of the symptoms that are associated with it, and the fact that we still know little about them. The observations so far show that the most people complain of disorders in the nervous system. So more and more is said about the so-called neurocovidae or coronavirus neuroinvasion. «It is estimated that this post-Covid invasion of the central nervous system affects 62 to 70 percent of the population. patients »- said Olga Milczarek, a neurologist, in an interview with Medonet. For these people, this means not only neurological problems, but also psychiatric and psychological problems.

What are the dangers of COVID-19 to the nervous system and the psyche, how long do they last, and do they have a similar effect on children and adults? The authors of a study published a few days ago in The Lancet Psychiatry focused on these problems.

The comforting news is that the study found no long-term risk of disorders such as anxiety or depression in people after COVID-19. Worse, the risk of other dangerous conditions, including dementia, may persist up to two years after contracting the disease.

COVID-19 and the brain. What happens during the illness and a few months after?

In their work, the team of scientists used data from the TriNetX electronic medical records network (collected as part of a two-year cohort study). The data came from the United States (most), Australia, Great Britain, Spain, Bulgaria, India, Malaysia, and Taiwan. First, researchers identified nearly 1,2 million patients who had been infected with the coronavirus between January 20, 2020 and April 13, 2022. Then they were “paired” with people who had, among others, same vaccination status, age, same risk factors for COVID-19 and its severe course, but have not had SARS-CoV-2 infection, but have experienced other respiratory infections.

The authors then analyzed the risk of 14 psychiatric and neurological diagnoses in participants and compared the risk of these disorders with the control group. They also looked at how these threats differed during periods of dominance of the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants.

It was found that the symptoms of anxiety disorders increased in people who had an active SARS-CoV-2 infection, but the risk of anxiety and depression fell to the level of the control group over the next few months. However, there are more conclusions from the study.

Dementia and seizures up to two years after COVID-19

The researchers also found that children faced different problems than adults. In minors, after the first six months after infection, the following dominated: cognitive deficit (deterioration of memory or attention), insomnia and convulsions. In adults, there was an increased risk of brain fog, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures, even at the end of the two-year follow-up period.

It also found that patients infected with the Delta variant had an increased risk of ischemic stroke, cognitive deficit, insomnia, anxiety disorders, and epilepsy or seizures compared to subjects infected with the Alpha variant. What’s more, although the Omikron variant is associated with a lower mortality rate, the risk of psychiatric or neurological problems remains at a similar level to that of Delta.

“It’s good news that the excess of depression and anxiety diagnoses after COVID-19 is short-lived and not seen in children. Worryingly, however, other disorders such as dementia and seizures continue to be diagnosed more frequently after COVID-19, even two years later. It also seems that after Omikron, although less severe in acute disease, comparable indicators of these diagnoses are observed “- commented for Medical News Today, one of the authors of the research, psychiatrist, prof. Paul Harrison.

Scientists agree that more research is needed into the long-term effects of COVID-19. Prof. Harrison emphasizes that the lessons learned from the work could help healthcare professionals prepare for the future.