Pandemic's Invisible Toll: How COVID-19 Indirectly Accelerated Brain Ageing

A groundbreaking study conducted by the University of Nottingham suggests that experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic might have expedited brain ageing by approximately five and a half months, irrespective of infection status. Researchers attribute this to indirect consequences of pandemic-driven isolation and uncertainty.

Upon analyzing brain scans of UK adults before and after the pandemic, noticeable changes were observed in older adults, men, and economically disadvantaged individuals. However, cognitive symptoms like 'brain fog' were predominantly reported by those infected with the virus, indicating the role of COVID-19 in exacerbating the decline.

Published in Nature Communications, the study highlights a need for policies addressing socio-economic disparities, as these gaps widened during the pandemic. AI-trained models were employed to assess brain scans, revealing significant age deviations in the 'Pandemic' group. The insights underscore the pandemic's impact on brain health beyond medical illness.

(With inputs from agencies.)