Long-term COVID can reduce oxygen to the brain and increase symptoms of depression and anxiety

Between 10% and 20% of people who have the corona virus infection then suffer different consequences which are included as Extended COVID oh Post-COVID-19 Status. A study by scientists from Canada there UNITED STATES further describes the impact of the syndrome on people.

They found that prolonged COVID is associated with a reduction oxygen levels in the brainAnd worst performance on cognitive tests and an increase in eating disorder symptoms Mental Health as the depression and the anxiety.

To carry out the research, the experts combined the results of two new parallel studies: one in the laboratory, which included cognitive tests and images of oxygen levels in the brain, and a national survey of the Canadian population in 2021 and 2022.

The laboratory study revealed that people who had experienced the COVID with symptoms they performed less well in two computer tasks. One measures inhibition and the other measures impulsive decision making. Compared to those who had not been infected, those who had been infected showed a lack of increased oxygen saturation in an area of ​​the brain that is normally activated during one of the tasks.

“We are the first to demonstrate a less oxygen consumption in the brain during a cognitive task in the months following symptomatic COVID-19 infection,” said Dr. Peter Hall, lead author and researcher at the School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Canada.

“This is important because lack of adequate oxygen supply is thought to be one of the mechanisms by which COVID-19 can cause cognitive impairment,” the expert noted.

The second study of this work consisted of a demographic survey to more than 2,000 Canadians between the ages of 18 and 56. He looked at the relationships between COVID, cognitive function and symptoms of mental health disorders.

Respondents who had COVID reported difficulties with concentration and problems of inhibitionas well as an increase in symptoms of anxiety there depression. These effects appeared to be slightly stronger in people who had not been vaccinated and were still detectable after controlling for how long respondents had been infected.

Previous studies had shown an association between COVID and test performance, self-reported cognitive symptoms and differences in brain structure measured by MRI. But he hadn’t detected any oxygenation changes in the brain.

The ace older women were more affected than others in the case of brain imaging results. “We don’t know for sure why, but other studies have shown that older women are particularly affected by certain symptoms of post-COVID syndrome,” Hall said.

In the case of the study population, “it appears that, regardless of gender and other demographic factors, COVID-19 infection at baseline correlates with increased emotion regulation problems six months later: depression, anxiety and agitation. In some cases, we’re talking about symptom levels that are at or above those recommended as cut-off scores for psychiatric diagnoses,” Hall said.

The studies were conducted during the first waves of the pandemic. Therefore, the researchers did not examine whether the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and its sublines had the same effects on the brain as previous variants.

“Our two studies, using very different methods, underscore the need to understand the full range of damage caused by COVID-19 disease,” Hall said.

“We still need to know more about how factors such as vaccination affect the course of prolonged COVID. We also need to know how certain physical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and hypertension might affect these mechanisms and outcomes. » The article was published in the magazine Brain, behavior and immunity – Health.

Recently, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) published the first living systematic review of clinical studies on potential long-term COVID treatments.

Interventions that show promise for symptoms of breathlessness and fatigue are exercise and rehabilitation, but the certainty of the evidence is low. Other interventions, including various drugs, have shown potential benefit, but certainty about their benefit and safety is also low. Further studies are needed.

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