Neurological symptoms such as fatigue that are common in mild COVID

Neurological and psychiatric symptoms such as fatigue and depression are common in people with COVID-19, as well as in mildly ill patients, according to a new review study led by UCL researchers. there is a possibility.

By reviewing the evidence obtained from 215 studies on COVID-19 Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry Reports various ways in which COVID-19 affects mental health and the brain.

Lead author Dr. Jonathan Rogers (UCL Psychiatry and South London and Modery NHS Foundation Trust) said: Psychiatric symptoms It was found to be more common in severe COVID-19 cases, but instead some symptoms were more common in mild cases. COVID-19 seems to have an effect mental health And the brain is no exception, it’s standard. “

The research team systematically provides evidence from 215 COVID-19 studies from 30 countries, including a total of 105,638 people with acute symptoms of COVID-19, including data up to July 2020. Reviewed (Acute refers to the major stages of illness, not longer). Effect of period).Studies varied on which symptoms were being tracked, and the team pooled the data to compare the frequency of each symptom. Symptomatology It was in a study that followed it.

Throughout the dataset, the most common neurological and psychological symptoms were anosmia (loss of smell, reported by 43% of COVID-19 patients), weakness (40%), fatigue (38%), It was dysgeusia (loss of taste, loss of taste). 37%), myalgia (myalgia; 25%), depression (23%), headache (21%), anxiety (16%). They also identified the presence of major neuropathy such as ischemic stroke (1.9% of cases in the dataset), hemorrhagic stroke (0.4%), and seizures (0.06%). Because most studies focused on inpatients, severe COVID-19 patients were overestimated throughout the dataset, and even studies of people outside the hospital were very mild or asymptomatic. Not included.

However, among people with acute COVID-19 who are not hospitalized, neurological and psychiatric symptoms are still common, with 55% fatigue, 52% loss of olfactory sensation, and 47% muscle. Pain, 45% lost taste, 44% reported headache. Researchers may have similar symptoms in severe cases, as mild symptoms may not be reported by critical care patients. It states that there is.

This review did not investigate the causative mechanism, but researchers suggest some possible explanations. During the acute phase of the disease, there is inflammation of the brain, which may explain some of the symptoms. Psychosocial factors associated with the global pandemic situation may be involved, more common than other viral illnesses such as influenza.

Dr. Rogers said, “There are many possible factors that may contribute to the neurological and psychiatric symptoms of the early stages of COVID-19 infection, including inflammation, impaired oxygen supply to the brain, and psychological factors. More research is needed to better understand these relationships. “

“Neurological and psychiatric symptoms are very common in people with COVID-19. Millions of people around the world Being infected, even rare symptoms can affect significantly more people than usual. Medical and neurorehabilitation services need to be funded to increase referrals . “

Most of the research focuses on a small subset of neurological symptoms such as fatigue and muscle aches, and ignores symptoms of mental illness and stroke such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I found that there are many. Therefore, they say that further research is needed for all symptoms associated with COVID-19.