An investigation has suggested that the Covid-19 pandemic may have led to decreased brain health for people over the age of 50 in the UK. Over 3,000 volunteers completed annual questionnaires and online cognitive tests to determine differences in memory and other faculties. Regardless of Covid-19 infection, the results showed a decline. Experts said that some of the findings may be explained by stress, loneliness, and alcohol consumption. Coping with fears associated with Covid-19, as well as uncertainty and disrupted routines, may have had a lasting impact on brain health.
The study indicated that cognitive function dropped at an accelerated rate during the first year of the pandemic, when lockdowns occurred. The decline persisted into the second year for memory issues. Additionally, people who had mild memory problems before the start of the pandemic experienced the most significant decline. The investigation, known as PROTECT and published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity, was established to better understand how brains age and why some people develop dementia.
The study employs brain-training games to verify memory and reasoning skills, while the questionnaire seeks possible risk factors that can damage brain health. The plan is to keep the investigation running in the future to monitor how participants fare and learn lessons that can assist others. Prof Anne Corbett, the lead investigator, stated that pandemic conditions may have hastened brain decline based on the current findings. She said that lockdowns and other restrictions had a real impact on brain health in people 50 and older, even after the lockdowns ended, raising the crucial question of whether people are at higher risk of cognitive decline, which can ultimately lead to dementia.
Although the findings cannot prove cause and effect, Dr Dorina Cadar, a dementia expert from Brighton and Sussex Medical School, recommended more research and stated that the effect of the pandemic on the general population has been catastrophic. According to Dr Susan Mitchell from Alzheimer’s Research UK, while genetics play an important role in brain health as people age, a variety of health and lifestyle factors can negatively affect brain health. Taking care of one’s brain can at least help them disadvantage everyone when it comes to preventing dementia
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