It was found that those who were hospitalized for severe symptoms of novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) had their brains shrunk and their cognitive function deteriorated. Brain aging, which would normally take 20 years, has accelerated in an instant due to COVID-19.
It is the result of a joint research led by the University of Liverpool, UK, with participation from King’s College London and the University of Cambridge. This was conducted as part of the ‘COVID-19 Clinical Neuroscience Research’ (COVID-CNS) supported by the British government, and was published in the medical science journal ‘Nature Medicine’ on the 23rd (local time).
According to a research press release from the University of Liverpool, research subjects who were hospitalized due to severe COVID-19 symptoms were found to have decreased cognitive function even after 12 to 18 months.
When the brain was imaged using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, brain volume in key areas was reduced and abnormally high levels of brain damage proteins were detected in the blood.
The most surprising thing is that the cognitive decline after corona infection confirmed in this study is equivalent to 20 years of normal aging. However, this was observed in severely ill patients requiring hospitalization and should not be generalized to everyone who has experienced COVID-19.
Nevertheless, the researchers emphasized that the decline in function seen in all cognitive tests tested and the concerns about brain damage shown in blood test results are the clearest evidence that coronavirus can have a significant impact on the brain and mental health even after recovery from respiratory problems.
First author Dr. Greta Wood of the University of Liverpool said, “After being hospitalized with COVID-19, many people complain of persistent cognitive symptoms called ‘brain fog’ (a persistent feeling of being dazed as if there is fog in the head). “However, it was unclear whether there was objective evidence of cognitive decline, if so, whether there was biological evidence of brain damage, and most importantly, whether the patients recovered over time,” he said, explaining the background to the study.
The researchers compared 351 people with a history of hospitalization for COVID-19 with 2,927 normal controls. A comparative study on cognition, serum biomarkers, and neuroimaging was conducted for one year.
Among the 351 people, there were a mix of people (54%) who suffered neurological complications due to COVID-19 infection and those who did not (46%).
Cognitive decline appeared overall. There was a significant correlation between the severity of the initial infection, psychiatric symptoms after the acute phase, and the development of encephalopathy due to complications. Cognitive decline was associated with increased brain damage biomarkers in the blood and decreased gray matter volume in the brain. Even in patients without neurological complications, overall cognitive problems were found. Cognitive function showed some improvement immediately after discharge, but subsequent recovery stalled and most patients remained in a state of persistent impairment even one year after infection.
“In this latest study, we studied 351 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 with and without neurological complications. We found that both patients with and without acute neurological complications of COVID-19 had reduced cognitive function relative to their age, gender, and education level. “This study compared the results with a control group of 3,000 people,” Dr Wood added.
Benedict Michael, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Liverpool, said, “COVID-19 is not simply a lung disease. “The most severely affected patients often experience brain complications,” he said. The study’s findings show that cognitive decline may be common in people with a history of severe hospitalization after COVID-19 infection around the world.
He said that cognitive decline was confirmed even after 12 to 18 months. “This continued cognitive decline was seen not only in patients with neurological complications but also in patients without, suggesting that COVID-19 itself can cause cognitive impairment even without a neurological diagnosis.” . “Additionally, the association of biomarkers of brain cell damage in the blood with volume loss in brain regions identified on MRI suggests the possibility that there is a measurable biological mechanism that could explain this phenomenon.”
Park Hae-sik, Donga.com reporter [email protected]
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2024-09-27 11:36:26