The RThe risk of developing long-term neurological problems increases in people who fell ill with covid-19especially during the first year after initial infection, a large American scientific study shows.
Brain complications include strokes, memory problems, seizures, depression, anxiety, migraines, movement disorders and more.
affects memory
The study looked at brain health over a year. It found that neurological conditions occurred in 7% more people with Covid-19 than without the disease. The most common disorder was memory problems and brain fog. Compared to people without Covid-19, people infected with coronavirus were 77% more likely to have long-term memory problems later.
Increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
The risk of Alzheimer’s was also found to be increased among those who became ill due to the coronavirus. Compared to control groups, there were two more cases of Alzheimer’s for every 1,000 people among those who became ill with covid-19.
“It is unlikely that someone who has had Covid-19 will suddenly develop Alzheimer’s, as the disease takes years to manifest. But what we suspect is happening is that people who were predisposed to Alzheimer’s may be aggravated by Covid-19 and eventually develop the disease. It’s weird, but worrying.”said Dr. Al-Ali.
Risk of having a stroke
In addition, compared to control groups, people who had had Covid-19 were 50% more likely to suffer an ischemic stroke, that is, a blockage in the circulation of blood and oxygen to their brain.
Such strokes, which are much more common than hemorrhages, can lead to slurred speech, cognitive confusion, vision problems, permanent brain damage, paralysis, or even death.
In addition, people with a history of Covid-19 had an 80% increased risk of subsequent seizures, 43% of mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, 42% of movement difficulties (muscle twitching and parkinsonian-type tremors), 35% of mild to severe headaches, 30% due to eye problems (blurred vision, dry eyes, inflammation, etc.), as well as 22% due to hearing problems such as ringing in the ears.
“Our study provides a comprehensive assessment of the long-term neurological consequences of Covid-19. The findings show the serious long-term effects of the disease, which are part of the long Covid-19. The virus is not always as harmless as some people think”, emphasized Al-Ali, who pointed out that covid-19 has so far contributed to more than 40 million new cases of neurological disorders worldwide.
“We see brain problems in previously healthy people and in those who have had mild covid-19 infections. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, female or male, or what your race is. It doesn’t matter if you smoked or not, if you had other unhealthy habits or not”, he added.