THE DOCTOR IS IN
OP-ED BY DR. ADIL MANZOOR
The coronavirus broke out in 2019 and has proven to be a force to reckon with, infecting more than 606 million people worldwide and claiming about 6.5 million of those. For a virus that has persisted this long and has infected that many people, it is not out of place to imagine there would be complications and long-term health consequences. At least, that’s what many experts believed, but there were few studies to support that belief. That has changed, though.
A study by University of Oxford researchers examining about 1.3 million people between January 2020 and April 2022 reveals some interesting information about COVID and mental health conditions. The study suggests an increased risk of dementia, seizures or epilepsy, brain fog, and psychotic disorders like schizophrenia compared to individuals with other respiratory infections.
Brain fog, which is characterized by confusion, forgetfulness, and a lack of focus and mental clarity, was identified as a persistent problem over the long term after a COVID bout. Another common mental condition that developed after the two-year study was dementia, a term describing the loss of cognitive function. Symptoms include memory loss, difficulty with words, judgment errors, and limited social skills. This mental condition is also more frequent in older adults.
The study shows that in the 65+ population, 15.4% developed brain fog, and 4.5% developed dementia. Contrastingly, results from the control group showed 12.3% developing brain fog and 3.3% developing dementia after two years.
Over time, the virus mutated, causing several strains. Consistent with the laws of evolution and adaptation, the mutated strains were generally more difficult to manage than the parent strain. Still, the original vaccine was able to marshal most of the strains. However, Delta and Omicron were two strains that proved particularly difficult to manage, necessitating multiple booster doses.
Research shows that the risk of developing mental conditions increased after the emergence of the Delta variant. The risk of brain fog increased by as much as 38%. However, rather shockingly, the risk for dementia decreased by 40% after the Delta wave. These conflicting results have led many experts to downplay the impact of the Delta and Omicron waves on the risk of post-COVID medical conditions.
Another interesting bit of the study is that children were more likely to be diagnosed with psychotic disorders, particularly seizures and epilepsy, after coronavirus infection. However, children were not as likely to be diagnosed with anxiety and depression even shortly after infection.
Depression and anxiety are certainly worrying mental health conditions, both being among the commonest mental disorders on the planet. So the fact that people with COVID are at a greater risk of developing depression or anxiety after the infection really comes as little surprise.
Seriously, the economic hardships alone were enough to mess with people’s mental health. Then, many people also lost multiple family members to the virus, another major contributor to the higher depression and anxiety disorder rates since COVID debuted.
There’s some good news on this front, though. Aside from depression and anxiety not particularly observed in children, the study regards them as short-lived in adults.
Further good news – the study leader states that the overall risk of these conditions is still quite low. Essentially, this implies that the risk of getting them in the first place is so low that the increased risk post-infection still doesn’t amount to much regarding getting these conditions. However, this study still should not be taken lightly. Because of the high population of Americans that have gotten the virus at some point in time, the latest data shows 94.7 million people, even seemingly tiny percentages can correspond to thousands of infected individuals.
Mental health is a critical part of health and should not be overlooked. If you have symptoms of a mental condition, ensure you speak to a health practitioner as soon as you can. Stay safe.
This article was written by Dr. Adil Manzoor DO, a Board Certified Internist & Board Eligible Pediatrician, who works as a Hospitalist, and Emergency Room Physician. He is also the current President of Garden State Street Medicine, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide free preventive and acute urgent care services for the homeless. He is also the co-founder of his own unique medical practice Mobile Medicine NJ.
References
- https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(22)00260-7/fulltext
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/08/17/covid-increases-risk-of-mental-illness-and-brain-disease-up-to-two-years-after-infection-study-suggests/?sh=ccfbd6068027
- https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20220820/study-covid-may-iincrease-risks-of-brain-disorders
- https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2022-08-18-increased-risk-some-neurological-and-psychiatric-disorders-remains-two-years-after
