Increasing evidence underlines the tremendous impact of COVID-19 on the brain, and even the mildest infections are shown to cause long-lasting impairments in cognitive performance, with marked reductions in IQ. New studies published in 2024 further confirm that SARS-CoV-2’s impact is not limited to respiratory manifestations but also causes enduring damage to the brain in terms of both cognitive performance and structure.
One of the major takeaways from such recent research is that mild COVID-19 infection is capable of producing the equivalent of seven years of brain aging. Further, the study reveals that serious infections that lead to hospitalization result in cognitive impairments equivalent to that of 20 years of aging. In addition to these impairments of cognition, COVID-19 has been associated with brain fog, loss of memory, sleep disorders, and mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. Such studies have shown that there is shrinkage of the brain volume, structural changes post-infection, and laboratory experiments showing disruption of function in the brain cell leading to lasting neurological damage.
In the New England Journal of Medicine, a recently published study measured the cognitive status of close to 113,000 patients with COVID-19. The results showed that those with mild cases experienced a decline in IQ by an average of three points, while individuals with persistent symptoms such as fatigue or shortness of breath suffered a six-point loss. Those hospitalized in intensive care units experienced an even greater decline of nine points in IQ. Reinfections further exacerbated these effects, contributing an additional two-point drop in IQ. The average IQ in the general population is about 100, while the score below 70 would indicate a great need for social support.
COVID-19
More far-reaching consequences come from these findings, such as their implications about the long-term consequences on education, workforce productivity, and the increased risk of dementia-spectrum conditions in aging populations. As research continues to evolve, it will be seen that COVID-19 is a serious, lasting threat to brain health that warrants constant study and focused interventions.
