According to a study, individuals who contract Covid-19 may experience a decrease in cognitive abilities, particularly in cases of severe infection.
Individuals who managed to avoid the disease generally demonstrated higher performance in intelligence tests, whereas those who were hospitalized tended to score lower.
However, it is believed that even individuals who experienced only mild symptoms may have experienced a decline in their cognitive abilities.
Researchers from Imperial College London examined data on over 112,000 individuals who participated in Covid testing throughout the course of the pandemic.
Upon analysis, it was found that individuals who were admitted to intensive care due to Covid-19 exhibited an average decrease of nine IQ points in their exam scores compared to those who managed to avoid infection.
Individuals who experienced long Covid, characterized by persistent symptoms like ‘brain fog’, had a six-point lower score. Similarly, those with mild infection had a two-point lower score.
Professor Adam Hampshire, the lead author of the study published in The Lancet medical journal, made an effort to closely match people when comparing the groups in order to consider other factors.
Upon further examination, it was discovered that individuals who had been infected a year or more ago experienced enduring cognitive effects.
The initial Covid variant was linked to a more significant decline in IQ, whereas the disparities with Omicron were only minor. Vaccination seemed to provide a protective effect.
Professor Hampshire expressed concern about the implications of the figures, describing them as alarming.
The participants had signed up for Imperial College’s React study. Dr. Taquet advised exercising caution when interpreting the results of the study, as it did not include a comparison of the same individual before and after infection.
According to Professor Benedict Michael, director of the University of Liverpool’s infection neuroscience laboratory, there is a group that is significantly impacted by the situation.
However, he mentioned that he has not yet come across compelling evidence indicating that the majority of the population has experienced a significant decrease in their IQ points.
Various studies examining brain scans conducted before and after the pandemic indicate that Covid infection can potentially affect individuals, even if they did not require hospitalization.
According to Professor Michael, it seems that the virus is not directly affecting the brain, but rather causing a secondary effect due to infection in other parts of the body. This secondary effect could potentially impact blood vessels and lead to a reduction in oxygen flow. Scientists are still uncertain about the extent to which the brains of individuals affected by Covid-19 will regain their full functionality.
