The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may have faded, as reported cases around the world are currently lower than they were in 2020 and 2021, yet its indirect impact on individuals remains significant.
A new study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity claimed to have discovered data indicating that people in their 50s or older saw a faster deterioration in brain health during the pandemic.
The key study linked the pandemic to long-term cognitive loss, claiming that such degradation can be found in those who did not have COVID-19.
Researchers examined the results of computerized brain function tests administered to over 3,000 participants in the online PROTECT research. All of the respondents were from the United Kingdom and ranged in age from 50 to 90.
The Protect research began in 2014 to learn more about brain function in the elderly over 25 years old.
According to the findings, cognitive function and working memory in older people fell faster during the first year of the COVID-19 epidemic, between March 2020 and February 2021.
Long-lasting cognitive decline beyond lockdowns
This occurred even if they had not contracted the virus, and it persisted in the next year, 2022. This pattern shows that the health of the brain was harmed months after the initial lockdowns.
The researchers wrote in the journal, “We found that people aged 50 years and older in the UK had an accelerated decline in executive function and working memory during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the UK was subjected to three societal lockdowns for a total period of six months.”
“Notably, however, this worsening in working memory persisted in the second year of the pandemic, after the social restrictions had eased. The scale of change is also of note, with all groups—the whole cohort and the individual subgroups—showing more than a 50% greater decline in working memory and executive function,” they added.
Diverse factors contribute to cognitive decline
According to the study, which was undertaken by the University of Exeter and King’s College London, various factors contributed to a deterioration in cognition.
The variables could have included an increase in loneliness and sadness, a decrease in exercise during the lockdown, alcohol consumption, and others. COVID-19’s bad effects could potentially be the cause, as various studies have revealed that the fatal virus has a direct impact.
According to The Guardian, Anne Corbett, a dementia researcher and the Protect study’s head at Exeter, said that the study’s findings “raise the important question of whether people are at a potentially higher risk of cognitive decline, which can lead to dementia.”
Corbett added, “Our findings also highlight the need for policymakers to consider the wider health impacts of restrictions like lockdowns when planning for a future pandemic response.”
