Study reveals lasting brain impacts from COVID-19, IQ drop in survivors

Four years have passed since the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and researchers are still conducting intensive studies to analyze the virus's impact on the human body. The brain's functioning, including the phenomenon known as brain fog, is of particular interest. The conclusions are alarming.

Long COVID, which refers to prolonged symptoms after recovering from COVID-19, includes brain fog, headaches, seizures, and memory and cognitive deficits, among others. Scientific evidence indicates that the virus leaves permanent marks on the brain. However, the mechanisms that trigger these symptoms remain unclear.

The portal medonet.pl reports that studies of patients who recovered from COVID-19 have shown that they experienced significant memory deficits and had difficulties performing daily tasks. According to the "New England Journal of Medicine," this was not a small group. Nearly 113,000 people were surveyed.

Importantly, cognitive function deterioration was observed regardless of the severity of the illness, affecting both those infected at the beginning of the pandemic and those infected with later virus variants, such as Delta and Omicron.

Studies show that even mild cases of COVID-19 can lead to a loss of a few IQ points. In severe cases, hospitalization could be required, resulting in a loss of even more points. People who have had COVID-19 more than once experience an additional decline in cognitive abilities.

Another study, which included over 100,000 Norwegians, found that cognitive function deterioration can accompany recovering patients for up to three years after infection. These findings highlight the need for long-term care for individuals affected by COVID and the necessity for further research on the neurological effects of COVID-19.