‘Covid can lead to fast weakening of cognitive abilities’

Nagpur: Several middle-aged and elderly persons recovered from Covid are complaining about forgetting things like what they have eaten, way to their home or within the home, whether they are married or have a family as well as their name.
Mental health and neurological experts have attributed this condition to stress, anxiety and depression-linked memory impairment as much as virus possibly attacking the brain.
They say brain degeneration is not unheard of in advancing age but Covid has expedited the condition. Some younger and mild Covid patients too have complained of feeling weak in cognitive abilities.
Consultant psychiatrist Dr Suleman Virani said some of his patients would repeatedly keep asking for food, some had to be escorted by cops and some had to be counselled about their identity. “In detailed assessment, it is found not only weakening memory but also stress, financial problems, anxiety and depression were probable causes,” he said.
Dr Sonakshi Jyrwa, assistant professor of psychiatry, AIIMS Nagpur, said they have started post-Covid rehabilitation OPD and post-Covid mental health OPD to diagnose and manage long-term persistent symptoms called long Covid.
“While patients commonly present with respiratory symptoms, neuro-psychiatric and cognitive symptoms have been increasingly observed. Complaints range from anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, fatigue, memory disturbances, poor attention and concentration and dysexecutive symptoms,” she said.
Dr Virani said after evaluation, patients realize a cluster of problems. “They agree they were unable to explain their problems. Two weeks counselling and treatment make them feel better,” he said.
Talking about clinical reasons for impact on brain, Dr Jyrwa said, “It is hypothesized that the cognitive symptoms are possibly due to direct effect of virus on the brain/ body’s immune response or due to hypoxia (oxygen starvation of the brain) during the illness. These symptoms although commonly observed in hospitalized, severe Covid patients, need of supplemental O2/ventilator requirement have been noted in those recovered with mild Covid too. Often undetected depression and anxiety present with memory disturbances (pseudo-dementia), which resolve on treatment and intervention,” he said.
Dr Virani said he has been seeing elderly patients having pre-existing memory issues. “After Covid, it is seen that Alzhimer’s or Dimentia condition is aggravated. This is because of denegration in the brain,” he said.
Neurologist Dr Chandrashekhar Meshram said blockage in blood vessels in the brain leads to varied symptoms. “As D-Dimer increases during Covid, we had seen a 40 to 50% increase in paralysis cases. Short headache lasting 8 to 10 days, memory impairment, fatigue and gullian barre syndrome and depression too have increased. If has been found that Covid leads to confusion called fogging of brain, disorientation and the patient is unable to recall,” he said.
Dr Meshram said data is still being compiled. “After 20 to 30 years of Spanish Flu, cases of Parkinson’s disease had suddenly jumped. So, time will tell how much long-term degeneration is taking place,” he said.
Matter of memory
- Alzhimer’s or Dimentia condition is aggravated in elderly patient post-Covid
- Increased D-Dimer leads to clotting of blood vessels in the brain, causing varied symptoms
- Paralysis, short headache lasting 8 to 10 days, memory impairment, fatigue and gullian barre syndrome and depression have increased
- Cognitive symptoms possibly due to direct effect of virus on brain/ body immune response or due to hypoxia (oxygen starvation of the brain) during the illness
- Though symptoms common in hospitalized and severe Covid patients, need of supplemental O2/ventilator support noted in those recovered with mild Covid too
AIIMS Helpline
- Post COVID Rehab OPD is on Tuesday and Friday 11am-12 noon
- Post Covid mental health OPD on Tuesday 2pm-4pm
- Mental health support line 0712- 2352033