COVID-19. It’s a name we’ve all heard a thousand times, isn’t it? And while we hoped that recovering from the virus would be the end of the story, it turns out there’s a nasty sequel.
This sequel has a name, too – Long COVID. Now, Long COVID isn’t a new version of the virus.
It’s what happens when some people continue to feel unwell for weeks or even months after getting over COVID-19.
Brains Under Siege by Long COVID
What does Long COVID do? According to scientists from the University of Waterloo in Canada, Long COVID could be making our brains tired and our moods grumpy.
When the Brain is Starved of Oxygen
Here’s how they found this out. The scientists conducted two parallel studies. One involved a lab test, where people had to do computer tasks.
While doing these tasks, the scientists checked oxygen levels in the participants’ brains.
Guess what they found? People who had been sick with COVID-19 didn’t do as well on the tasks compared to those who hadn’t been infected.
The scientists saw that the brain didn’t get enough oxygen when these people did the tasks.
Dr. Peter Hall, the lead scientist of this research, said that this was the first time anyone has seen such an oxygen shortage in the brain months after a COVID-19 infection.
COVID, Your Brain, and Your Emotions
In the second study, the researchers asked over 2,000 Canadians about their health and feelings. People who had had COVID-19 reported more difficulty concentrating and making quick decisions.
They also felt more anxious and depressed. This was especially true for people who hadn’t been vaccinated.
Earlier research already pointed out that COVID-19 could mess with how well we do on tests and change the structure of our brains.
But this is the first time anyone has found that it could also affect oxygen levels in the brain.
Women and Long COVID
Interestingly, older women were more affected than others in terms of brain changes seen in the lab study.
Dr. Hall said they weren’t exactly sure why, but other studies have shown that older women seem to struggle more with Long COVID symptoms.
In the larger population study, COVID-19 seemed to cause emotional trouble for everyone, regardless of gender or age.
Six months after getting infected, people reported feeling depressed, anxious, and agitated. In some cases, their symptoms were serious enough to need a doctor’s attention.
Questions Left Unanswered
One thing to keep in mind is that these studies were done during the earlier waves of the pandemic. Scientists haven’t checked whether the newer versions of the virus, like Omicron, have the same effects on the brain.
Dr. Hall emphasized the need to understand all the ways in which COVID-19 could harm us.
We still need to find out how vaccines affect Long COVID, and how conditions like diabetes or obesity might influence these effects.
A Wake-Up Call
The takeaway from all this? The fight against COVID-19 isn’t over yet. The more we learn about Long COVID, the better we can protect ourselves and our loved ones.
Remember, knowledge is power, and in this case, it could be the power to keep our brains healthy and our moods happy!
If you care about Covid-19, please read studies about new ways to prevent the common cold (and maybe COVID-19), and common diabetes drugs linked to less severe COVID-19.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about COVID infection and vaccination linked to heart disease, and results showing extracts from two wild plants can inhibit the COVID-19 virus.
The study was published in Brain, Behavior, & Immunity—Health.
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