Millions of people may suffer from “brain or mental illness” months after recovering from COVID-19

A surprising study found that about one in three survivors of COVID-19 was diagnosed with brain or psychiatric disorders within six months of being infected with COVID-19.

A surprisingly high rate of brain and psychiatric disorders in COVID-19 patients is in 10 million Americans (out of 30) One million people infected with COVID-19) May be affected by mental health in the next few years. It predicts an imminent social crisis in which American society is unprepared.

so paper Researchers published in the journal The Lancet Psychiatry found that out of more than 230,000 COVID-19 patients (mostly from the United States), about one in three (33.6%) develop neurological or psychiatric problems. I made it clear that I did. The number was 38.7% for hospitalized patients, 46.4% for patients who had to be admitted to the intensive care unit, and 62.3% for patients diagnosed with encephalopathy (a term that refers to any disease that changes structure or function). It has risen. Of your brain).

Researchers could not determine how COVID-19 leads to many of these conditions, but proved that the most common mental states associated with the diagnosis of COVID-19 are anxiety and depression. Did. There were also statistically significant cases of stroke, dementia, and other neurological conditions, but these were more rare.

“These results are worrisome and suggest that COVID-19 is associated with a higher proportion of long-term psychological and neurological complications than observed in other respiratory illnesses such as influenza. “Masu,” Dr. Russell Medford, President of the Center for Global Health Innovation, Global Health Crisis Coordination Center, emailed the salon. “To develop effective therapeutic, behavioral and public health interventions, this study studied the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of COVID-19 that may affect brain function and human behavior. It emphasizes the urgent need for additional scientific and medical research to gain a better understanding. “

Dr. Georges Benjamin, Secretary-General of the American Public Health Association, addressed the salon and scientists said, “We already know that this virus causes serious damage to some body organs other than the lungs. Includes the heart’s kidneys, blood system, and brain. The exact mechanism is not well understood, but it is being intensively studied. “When it comes to neurological effects, these are” temporary but long-term. ” It has already been established to range from targeted functions such as persistent loss of taste and smell to long-term episodes of headaches, debilitating malaise and weakness, and clear thinking difficulties (brain fog). “”

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He added that survivors still need supportive care: “Several studies have examined the use of monoclonal antibodies to see if some of the neurological symptoms can be stopped or reversed. Yes, there are scattered reports of post-vaccination improvement, but these are not definitive. “

“There are two separate issues, one is psychiatric and the other is neurological,” he said by confronting the HIV / AIDS epidemic, fighting anthrax, and deepening his knowledge of the human genome. Dr. William Hasertin, a well-known biologist, said. salon. After noting that the new treatise focuses on psychological problems rather than neurological problems, Hasertin has already learned that scientists can hurt your brain with COVID-19. Was observed.

“It’s not necessarily a brain infection, but it’s the impaired blood flow to the brain and the inflammation of the veins and arteries that help the brain that leads to neurological damage,” Haseltine explained. “There is considerable evidence that it will happen.” In addition, scientists said, “COVID-19 causes many blood clots. It’s about the same as what happens in a heart-lung machine. That is, it has many tiny things. It sends blood clots to multiple organs. ” In this case, the most important thing for us is the brain. And for those who have had severe and severe COVID-19, many microcoagulations occur in the brain. He said it is typical of many other viruses, not just SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.