More and more is known about the health consequences caused by COVID-19 once it is overcome. Two new studies have indicated that it makes cognitive decline more common in people over 60 years of age one year after infection and increases the risk of mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, at any age.
The first of the investigations, carried out by members of the Daping Hospital in Chongqing (China) on a sample of 1,438 people who had overcome the disease and 438 from the control group, has discovered that the incidence of cognitive deterioration of those who had overcome COVID -19 was 12.5% at 12 months after hospital discharge.
The coronavirus survivors had lower TICS-40 scores – a measure of cognition that includes 10 variables and has a maximum of 40 points – than those in the control group, indicating worse cognition. Patients with severe disease had lower TICS-40 scores than mild and control patients (score 24, 30, and 31, respectively) at 6 months, and at 12 months, had lower scores than TICS-40. of the healthy group.
The research, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, has revealed that among patients with severe COVID-19 disease, 10% had dementia and 26.5% had mild cognitive impairment at six months, and at one year the figures were 15% and 26.2% respectively. Therefore, the authors call for immediate action to be taken to try to meet this challenge and to protect the mental health of the elderly.
COVID-19 increases the risk of mental disorders
And speaking of mental health, the second study, published in the British Medical Journal, has been in charge of analyzing the effects of COVID-19 on this variable, finding that patients with severe coronavirus are up to 60% more likely to develop mental disorders.
Those recovered from COVID-19 are 41% more likely to have sleep disorders and an 80% greater risk of impaired thinking
Specifically, the study found up to a 40% higher risk of ending up having episodes of anxiety or depression after overcoming severe COVID-19. And it is that, as they explain, the use of antidepressant drugs has increased considerably, and they estimate that half of those who suffer from the disease resort to them to cope with the symptoms.
Other data from the work reflect that patients recovered from the coronavirus are 41% more likely to have sleep disorders and an 80% greater risk of suffering impaired thinking, including forgetfulness, confusion and lack of concentration. which is known as brain fog.
“Sadness, laziness to move and to do anything that seemed fun before, problems at bedtime or even when they wake up they feel tired, headaches, some symptoms also come to the stomach, and a negative state before life”, explains Ana Baschwitz, president of the Association of Victims of COVID-19.
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