The Covid virus does not only affect the physical organs: it would also age the brain and cognitive functions by twenty years according to a study published in early May in the scientific journal eClinicalMedicine.
A study published in early May in the journal EClinicalMedicine reveals the deleterious effects of Covid on the brains of hospitalized patients. Researchers from the University of Cambridge, who conducted the study, observe cognitive impairment similar to the aging of the brain by several years. British scientists have observed a persistent decline in cognitive functions in these people with long Covid. “Only one in three participants felt fully recovered following a year of Covid,” explains Dr Rachel Evans, in charge of a post-hospitalization study for Covid.
Fewer symptoms in vaccinees
“Covid-19 causes problems with various organs in the body, including the brain, our cognitive functions and our mental health, explains David Menon, lead author of the study, in an interview with the Guardian. If you have a vaccine and all your booster doses, the disease will be less stressful and all of its symptoms will be lessened.”
A loss of 10 IQ points
Two groups of patients (one having been hospitalized for Covid, the other not having contracted the disease) were subjected to the same cognitive tests. Inpatient outcomes are lower. The speed of information processing is particularly affected. “Cognitive loss is comparable to that which occurs between the ages of 50 and 70” summarizes the site of C news. This corresponds to a loss of ten intelligence quotient (IQ) points.
“These trials will allow us to understand the underlying mechanisms and produce effective treatments to prevent this phenomenon and treat it later”, assures David Menon.