Covid-19 patients at greater risk of mental disorders, finds Oxford University study
Covid-19 patients at greater risk of mental disorders, finds Oxford University study
PTI | Apr 7, 2021, 19:29 IST
LONDON: Patients are at an estimated 44 per cent greater risk of neurological and mental health diagnoses after Covid-19 than after flu, and a 16 per cent greater risk than with other respiratory tract infections, the largest study of its kind by the University of Oxford revealed on Wednesday. Overall, the estimated incidence of being diagnosed with a neurological or mental health disorder following Covid-19 infection was 34 per cent, and for 13 per cent of these people, it was their first recorded neurological or psychiatric diagnosis.
The psychiatric conditions were much more common, but the neurological conditions are significant, especially in those who had severe Covid-19, professor Paul Harrison, lead author of the study from the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University, said in a release.
So, how does a respiratory disease lead to neurological and psychiatric effects? Here s what you need to know:
How Covid and other viruses affect your brain
In addition to the hallmark symptoms of Covid infection, such as fever, cough and shortness of breath, 25% of people experience symptoms related to their brain and nervous system, including dizziness, headache, debilitating fatigue and brain fog or cognitive impairment, which is trouble remembering, learning and concentrating. While symptoms tend to go away once someone recovers, some Covid survivors experience lasting long-term effects.
Patients are at an estimated 44 per cent greater risk of neurological and mental health diagnoses after COVID-19 than after flu, and a 16 per cent greater risk than with other respiratory tract infections, the largest study of its kind by the University of Oxford revealed on Wednesday. Overall, the estimated incidence of being diagnosed with a neurological or mental health disorder following COVID-19 infection was 34 per cent, and for 13 per cent of these people, it was their first recorded neurological or psychiatric diagnosis. The most common diagnoses after COVID-19 were anxiety disorders (occurring in 17 per cent of patients), mood disorders (14 per cent), substance misuse disorders (7 per cent), and insomnia (5 per cent). The incidence of neurological outcomes was lower, including 0.6 per cent for brain haemorrhage, 2.1 per cent for ischaemic stroke, and 0.7 per cent for dementia.
1 in 3 Covid Survivors Are Diagnosed With Conditions Like Anxiety and Insomnia After Recovery — Here s What Covid Does to Your Brain nbcphiladelphia.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nbcphiladelphia.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.