“Brain fog” after Covid-19 recovery may indicate post-traumatic stress disorder: study

People who recover from COVID-19 may have prolonged loss of concentration, as well as headaches, anxiety, malaise, and sleep disorders. Patients may be afraid that the infection will permanently damage the brain, but researchers say this is not always the case.

A paper co-authored by Andrew Levine, MD, a clinical professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine and a neuropsychologist, and Erin Kaseda, a graduate student at Rosalind Franklin Medical Sciences University in Chicago, examines historical data on survivors. doing. Previous coronavirus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

This paper was published in The Clinical Neuropsychologist.

“The idea is to raise awareness among neuropsychologists that PTSD is something we want to consider when assessing persistent cognitive and emotional difficulties in COVID-19 survivors,” Dr. Levine said. Stated.

“When we look at someone for a neuropsychological test, we expect them to be in relatively good condition,” Dr. Levine said. “If you identify a mental illness during the assessment and the symptoms of the symptom appear to impede the best performance, it is recommended that you treat it first and retest once controlled.”

If the cause of the symptoms is partial, but in a mental state such as PTSD, treatment can help manage those symptoms and give a clearer picture of the underlying brain problem.

“If cognitive complaints and neuropsychological test deficiencies still remain after they have been treated and hopefully some relief from their psychiatric symptoms, it is more than something else is happening. It’s proof of that, “said Kasada. “As these survivors are beginning to present for neuropsychological tests, keep up with the literature that full clinicians come up with to make sure they have the latest information. It will be important to go. “

Kaseda began pursuing this question based on his experience dealing with patients with mild traumatic brain injuries such as concussion. “If these symptoms last months or years after the first injury, it’s much more likely that it’s due to the presence of a mental illness,” she said.

A review of data from outbreaks of SARS and MERS showed that those survivors were at increased risk of PTSD. In the case of COVID-19, symptoms of PTSD can occur in response to invasive measures required to treat the patient, such as intubation and ventilation, which can be traumatic for the dreaded patient. Delirium also causes hallucinations in patients with COVID-19, and memories of these horrific sensations continue to plague patients who have recovered.

In addition to hospitalized patients, front-line healthcare providers can be similarly affected by the constant stress and fear they face in the workplace. Also, for some, the anxiety of overcoming a pandemic, being isolated from friends, and fighting constant fear of invisible threats can have a similar impact on thinking and memory skills. ..

Diagnosis of PTSD may not sound good news, but there are many treatments available for this disorder, such as psychotherapy and medication. By comparison, researchers are still working to understand the direct neurological effects of COVID-19. “Treatment options (of COVID) are still evolving, so it’s still a long way to go,” Kasada said.

“We still don’t know anything from the survivors of COVID-19,” Kasada said. “Until that data is available, it is very difficult to say what percentage of real patients will have cognitive complaints due to the direct effects of the virus, medical intervention, or psychiatric concerns. “

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