The COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting negative impact on brain functioning in people over 50 years of age. This has rapidly accelerated the decline of cognitive functions, regardless of whether these people have the disease or not, according to research by British scientists.
A study conducted by scientists from the Universities of Exeter and King’s College London showed that cognitive functions and working memory in people over the age of 50 in the first year of the pandemic, between March 2020 and February 2021, The situation worsens faster even if they do not have the virus. This trend continued into the following year, suggesting that this negative impact extended beyond the initial lockdowns.
The researchers said that the acceleration of cognitive decline has been exacerbated by a number of factors since the start of the pandemic. These included Increased loneliness and depression, decreased physical activity and higher alcohol consumptionAs well as the effects of the disease itself. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal “The Lancet Healthy Longevity.”
Scientists analyzed brain function tests of 3,142 people who took part in the PROTECTION study, which began in 2014, to get an insight into brain function in people aged over 40 over a 25-year period. People assessed were aged between 50 and 90 years and lived in the UK. The tests analyzed the participants’ short-term memory and their ability to perform complex tasks.
The study then analyzed all data collected during the year from March 2019 to February 2020 and compared it to the results of the first year of the pandemic (March 2020 to February 2021) and the second year (March 2021 to February 2022).
We found that people aged 50 and over in the UK had accelerated declines in executive function and working memory during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, when the UK underwent three six-month lockdowns. However, it is worth noting that The decline in working memory continued in the second year of the pandemic, after social restrictions were eased. The magnitude of the changes is also noteworthy, with all groups – the full group and individual subgroups – showing a change of more than 50 percent. Greater decline in working memory and executive functions – Written by the authors of the study.
Our findings suggest that the lockdowns and other restrictions seen during the pandemic had a real and lasting impact on brain health in people aged 50 and over, even when the lockdowns ended. This raises an important question about whether people are at greater risk of cognitive decline, which can lead to dementia Study leader Anne Corbett, professor of dementia research, said.
Our findings also highlight the need for policymakers to consider the broader health impacts of restrictions such as lockdowns when planning future response to the pandemic. – she added.
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