New study links COVID-19 infections with drop in IQ

(TND) — A new study links COVID-19 infections with a drop in IQ.

It’s among the mounting research showing brain problems under the umbrella of “long COVID.”

“It's not just a respiratory virus. It can affect a lot of organ systems,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, an epidemiologist who teaches at Washington University School of Medicine and conducts research with the Veterans Affairs health system in St. Louis.

Al-Aly, who was not involved with the IQ study, said its results were not unexpected, though “certainly it's worrisome.”

Those who had mild and resolved COVID showed cognitive decline equivalent to a three-point loss of IQ, according to the study.

People with unresolved persistent symptoms, such as persistent shortness of breath or fatigue, had a six-point loss in IQ.

Those who had been admitted to the intensive care unit for COVID had a nine-point loss in IQ.

Al-Aly said the study offers useful quantitative data about what we usually call “brain fog.”

This and other large studies have pointed to a wide array of neurologic problems or brain problems associated with COVID, including headaches, strokes, seizure disorders, sleep problems, or mental health disorders.

“And chief among all of those manifestations is memory problems, or what colloquially people refer to as brain fog,” Al-Aly said.

He said this new study, published Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, also brings up a lot of unanswered questions.

“What does that (three-point) drop in IQ really translate (to) at the individual level?” he said.

How long do the effects last? And what, if any, impact will this have on young people going through school?

He said we’re only in “Act 1 or Act 2” with our understanding of COVID, with only four years of data from which to pull conclusions.

Still, it’s clear COVID’s effects on brain health is a “significant problem” that’s affecting millions of people, Al-Aly said.

An estimated 80-90% of Americans have been infected with COVID at least once.

And around 20 million folks are suffering long COVID, though not all of them are dealing with associated brain problems.

Most people “who had COVID bounced back, are doing just fine,” Al-Aly said.

But the science shows that the virus can induce inflammation in the brain, can disrupt the brain's ability to protect itself, and can even result in structural changes to the brain.

One study he brought up even showed the virus was still present in the brain tissue of people who died months after a severe bout with COVID.

What if you’ve had COVID and feel like you’re suffering from memory or other brain problems now?

“First of all, know that you're not alone,” Al-Aly said.

Second, he said, seek help as soon as possible.

“There is no curative treatment for brain fog, but there are things that your physician might be able to do for you,” he said.