![]() Smith describes difficulty recalling details of conversations. During the neuropsychological evaluation, Ms. Based on her cognitive complaints, she is referred for a neuropsychological evaluation. She reports significant fatigue and concerns about her work performance. She also complains of significant “brain fog,” which she defines as difficulty maintaining her attention and recalling information. Initial symptoms included shortness of breath, cough, fever, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping, which have persisted. She was hospitalized for 1 day but did not require mechanical ventilation. She tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19) about 3 months ago. Ella Smith is a 35-year-old Critical Care Nurse who identifies as female. In particular, vaccines have not only greatly reduced the risk of getting COVID and of becoming seriously ill from COVID they also reduce the risk of suffering long-term damage from COVID, including damage to the brain.Ms. Masks and social distancing still are important, in crowded, indoor public spaces. So COVID's potential to damage the brain is just one more reason to do everything we can to avoid getting this disease. But some do, and even people who initially get just mild COVID symptoms are vulnerable. A large study of MRI scans taken before and then again after people got COVID showed that COVID can actually shrink the brain somewhat.įinally, the lingering symptoms of fatigue, pain, and difficulty thinking that can last for several years after COVID - called long COVID or post-acute COVID syndrome - may well be caused by ongoing low-grade brain inflammation caused by the virus.įortunately, most people who get COVID don't suffer damage to the brain. Even people who were less severely ill remain at a somewhat greater risk. People who were initially severely ill with COVID are at much greater risk for cognitive decline after they recover. COVID-related strokes can cause permanent difficulty in speaking or understanding speech, weakness on one side of the body, and other symptoms.Įven if people escape brain damage during the initial attack of COVID-19, they remain at considerably greater risk of various brain conditions, including strokes, depression, anxiety, and psychosis for the next several years. A perfectly healthy 30-year-old son of a friend of mine experienced multiple strokes when he got COVID. These two things can lead to strokes and heart attacks, even in young people. In addition, the virus that causes COVID can infect and injure the linings of blood vessels and make blood clot more easily. ![]() It often damages the brain's autonomic nervous system, leading to abnormalities in heart rate and blood pressure. It can even cause people to become psychotic - to see and hear things that aren't there and to believe things that aren't true. COVID also can trigger the onset of new psychological disorders such as severe depression or anxiety. When people first become sick from the virus, they may develop encephalitis - inflammation of the brain - causing confusion, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. ![]() We now know that, unfortunately, COVID can damage the brain in many ways. ![]() When the pandemic started in early 2020, doctors didn't know much yet about COVID and did not think it affected the brain. How does COVID-19 damage the brain, and can the damage be permanent?Ī.
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