Mounting research shows that COVID-19 leaves its mark on the brain, including significant drops in IQ scores
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)
Ziyad Al-Aly, Washington University in St. Louis
(THE CONVERSATION) From the very early days of the pandemic, brain fogemerged as a significant health condition that many experience after COVID-19.
Brain fog is a colloquial term that describes a state of mental sluggishness or lack of clarity and haziness that makes it difficult to concentrate, remember things and think clearly.
Fast-forward four years and there is now abundant evidence that being infected with SARS-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can affect brain health in many ways.
In addition to brain fog, COVID-19 can lead to an array of problems, including headaches, seizure disorders, strokes, sleep problems, and tingling and paralysis of the nerves, as well as several mental health disorders.
A large and growing body of evidence amassed throughout the pandemic details the many ways that COVID-19 leaves an indelible mark on the brain. But the specific pathways by which the virus does so are still being elucidated, and curative treatments are nonexistent.
Now, two 2024 studies published in the New...