Study shows severe COVID-19 contributes to long-term cognitive impairment

Posted by Josh Bakht September 17, 2024 | 5 min read | Share Article Summary Researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have shown that COVID-19 contributes to brain confusion and other cognitive impairments. Brain fog is a cognitive disorder that can cause fatigue, forgetfulness, and lethargy. The authors hope that this study will prompt clinicians to pay closer attention to long COVID patients. In a study that followed COVID-19 patients for more than two years, researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine found that the disease contributes to long-term brain confusion and other cognitive impairments. These results may be of particular concern for Hispanics, Blacks, and other underrepresented communities who are already at higher risk for neurocognitive disorders. This study Published In the journal Plus One. "We have been investigating the relationship between subjective cognitive symptoms, such as brain fog, and objective cognition in long COVID-19, particularly in an ethnically and racially diverse population in South Florida," said Barbara Junco, MS, clinical research project manager and lead author of the study. "We found that subjective and objective cognitive problems, including brain fog, word retrieval impairment, working memory impairment, and slower processing speed, persisted even two years after infection." "Most patients never fully recover." Brain fog is a subjective cognitive impairment with symptoms such as fatigue, forgetfulness, and lethargy. These and other long COVID symptoms have forced more than a million Americans to drop out of the labor market. "Many patients told us they never fully recovered," Junco says. "Their memories are not the same as before. They can't work anymore. Some study participants who were in their 50s and relatively healthy before COVID-19 are now disabled. They can no longer live independently." Researcher Barbara Junko Dr. Ayham Alkakrom This study Dr. Ayham Alhakrom, an associate professor of clinical neurology at the Miller School and lead author on the paper, followed COVID patients who spent time in intensive care units. The researchers contacted these patients two years after their hospitalization and asked them to complete a series of questionnaires and cognitive tests. The study looked at 41 patients and found that the severity of their illness was closely related to symptoms of brain fog and cognitive decline. Furthermore, many of these patients also experienced sleep disorders such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. Impact of the pandemic Dr. Albert Ramos These results help us understand how long COVID-19's effects on people last, but this is early work in an area where longer studies are needed. "This study highlights the lasting impacts of the pandemic, particularly the burden faced by survivors, and the need for further research to understand the mechanisms behind COVID-19-associated cognitive decline and brain fog," the co-authors said. Dr. Alberto Ramos, "We believe that with further research, we will be able to develop more effective treatments," said the Miller School professor of clinical neurology in the department of sleep medicine. The authors hope that this study will encourage clinicians to pay more attention to long COVID patients, and in some cases, cognitive rehabilitation and other clinical interventions may be beneficial. "It is important for healthcare professionals to recognize the potential for these problems to be long-term and consider incorporating cognitive testing into follow-up care," said Junco. "Early-stage mild cognitive impairment may put some patients at risk for dementia, which would be a significant burden for patients, their families, and society at large." tag: Barbara Junko, Cognitive impairment, COVID-19, COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Alberto Ramos, Dr. Ayham Alkakrom, Long Corona, Neurology Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://news.med.miami.edu/covid-19-contributes-to-long-lasting-cognitive-impairment/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

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Study shows severe COVID-19 contributes to long-term cognitive impairment

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Study shows severe COVID-19 contributes to long-term cognitive impairment