The likelihood of diagnoses involving brain fog, dementia, and epilepsy among COVID-19 patients has increased two years after their infection, according to a study conducted by the University of Oxford. The study found that these conditions were more common among COVID-19 patients compared to those with other types of respiratory infections.
In contrast, the research indicated that diagnoses of anxiety and depression did not increase among children and adults two years post-COVID infection. There is a need for further research to understand the reasons and mechanisms behind COVID-19 leading to other health issues.
Experts note that the virus has disrupted the daily lives of those infected, with previous studies showing that individuals face an increased risk of brain and mental health diseases in the six months following a COVID-19 infection.
The study examined the risks of 14 types of disorders among 1.25 million patients two years after contracting COVID-19, most of whom were in the United States. The results were then compared to a similar number of people suffering from other respiratory illnesses.
The following cases were observed among COVID-19 patients after two years:
- Dementia, stroke, and brain fog in adults over 65.
- Brain fog in adults aged 18 to 64.
- Epilepsy and psychological disorders in children, although the risk is generally low. The likelihood of children developing epilepsy after a COVID-19 infection was 260 per 10,000, compared to 130 per 10,000 in those who had other respiratory disorders. The risk of developing psychotic disorders rose to 18 per 10,000 after COVID-19, yet it remains a rare occurrence.
Some disorders became less common more than two years after infection, including:
- Anxiety and depression among children and adults.
- Psychotic disorders.
The risk of anxiety and depression among adults increased for less than two months before returning to normal levels, as indicated by the research.
"It's concerning," said Professor Paul Harrison, the lead author of the study from the Department of Psychology at Oxford University, noting that the diagnosis of conditions like dementia and seizures significantly increases two years after COVID-19 infection. He added that the good news is that the depression and anxiety experienced by patients post-COVID do not last long and do not affect children.
Researchers emphasized that the proportion of those experiencing symptoms cannot be ignored, although it does not constitute a "tsunami," and some individuals require healthcare, increasing the burden on health services. The study published in Lancet Psychiatry did not follow patients beyond two years post-diagnosis but analyzed the number of individuals who were diagnosed anew two years later.
It did not examine how severe the conditions were or how long they lasted, nor whether they were comparable to infection from other types of viruses. The study did not label these conditions as "long COVID," although brain fog related to memory and concentration issues was a common symptom.
The likelihood that the Omicron variant, which began spreading last winter, causes "long COVID" appears to be lower than that of previous variants, according to the latest research. The study concluded that although Omicron is less severe than the Delta variant, it seems capable of affecting the brain and leading to mental health issues.
The referenced study has its limitations, as it did not investigate how COVID-19 causes neurological and psychological disorders, even though some experts suggest this phenomenon may be attributed to small blood clots forming. Dr. Jonathan Rogers and Professor Glen Lewis from University College London noted that the study illuminated several clinical features that require further research and that additional studies are needed to confirm the findings.
Professor David Menon from the University of Cambridge stated that being hospitalized due to COVID-19 has effects equivalent to aging 20 years (from 50 to 70). Paul Garner, an honorary professor in Evidence Synthesis from the Department of Tropical Medicine at the University of Liverpool, remarked that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered people's lives in numerous ways, adding that the slight increase in cases of dementia and mental disorders is likely related to the turmoil we have experienced rather than being directly linked to the virus itself.
