Low oxygen levels and the effect of the virus on the blood clotting system have also been studied as potential explanations.
Although the study’s findings are significant, Petersen says there is no need for unnecessary alarm. Just because you had a coronavirus infection does not mean that “you are destined to develop neurological or psychiatric problems,” he points out.
That being said, if you start to experience new or unusual symptoms that persist or reappear after you have COVID-19, “it may be worth at least an investigation with your personal physician to see if there is actually anything that is prepare”. Petersen notes that the study also serves as a reminder for healthcare providers to keep COVID-19 “on the radar screen” as a possible contributing factor to serious neurological conditions, such as stroke.
Doctors are preparing for the influx of patients with brain-related symptoms
As the total number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in the US, Sara Manning Peskin, a neurologist at Penn Medicine who works with people experiencing post-COVID-19 brain fog, predicts that the health system will begin to see an “influx” of patients who observed brain-related symptoms after COVID-19. To this end, the authors of the study write that health services “must be configured and resources, to meet this anticipated need.”
Several hospitals and health systems have set up clinics to help treat people who have persistent effects of COVID-19 – and some are specifically treating neurological problems. “There is a high demand for clinics because patients have these experiences and no one knows what to do,” says Manning Peskin.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has also launched a database to keep track of all neurological symptoms and the results of US health care providers in coronavirus patients.
To date, there is no specific intervention to prevent brain problems related to COVID-19. That’s why New York-Presbyterian Parikh says it’s important to “stay alert” and continue with proven mitigation efforts – wear a mask in public, keep at least 6 feet away from others, wash your hands often, avoid congestion and poor ventilation. spaces and get a vaccine when available.
Regarding the next steps, experts agree that more research is needed to better understand COVID-19 and the brain – and especially any long-term complications that could arise from a coronavirus infection.
“I think [the study published in The Lancet Psychiatry] it is a very good proof that there is an association “, says Manning Peskin. “Everyone is wondering what causes it, and the next step is to treat it.”