Study Shows Corona Infection Can Lower IQ: Long-lasting Cognitive Effects Detected

2024-03-02 08:37:42

In addition to many other symptoms, a corona infection can also cause concentration problems and thus weaken intelligence. The lower IQ performance has now been measured in a study.

British scientists from Imperial College in London now claim that people infected with Corona and those suffering from Long Covid perform worse on cognitive tests.

The London College study was conducted in August and September 2022. Around 110,000 adults took part in the online tests – including those who had a corona infection, long Covid patients and those who were not infected.

Data from the British React study from 2020 was also used. It represents one of the most extensive Covid data collections in the world.

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The result of the investigations: The cognitive performance differences between non-infected and infected people were still measurable after a year. According to the scientists involved, the difference is in the range of approximately three IQ points. However, it is said that those infected did not notice any of the differences themselves.

Up to six IQ points less

In patients who experienced symptoms for more than twelve weeks after the infection, the memory and concentration values ​​were the equivalent of up to six IQ points lower. The symptoms of Long Covid patients also include so-called brain fog. Researchers now believe that this “brain fog” has quantifiable effects.

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What is encouraging, according to the British researchers, is that the concentration and memory problems have decreased over time.

An earlier study by the London College on intelligence losses in Long Covid patients was highly controversial among German experts regarding its significance.

British psychiatrist Maxime Taquet (University of Oxford), who was not involved in the current study, told the Guardian: “Although cognitive deficits after Covid-19 are on average only minor, a significant minority of people have them more serious deficits that are likely to affect their ability to work and function. This is particularly worrying given the scale of the pandemic and the number of people affected.”