cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/18206765

An analysis of people who were hospitalised with covid-19 in the first wave of the pandemic has revealed that the ongoing decline in their cognitive abilities is the equivalent to losing 10 IQ points

The cognitive abilities of people who were hospitalised with covid-19 during the first wave of the pandemic remain lower than expected, even years later, and there is some evidence that this is forcing them to change jobs.

“What we found is that the average cognitive deficit was equivalent to 10 IQ points, based on what would be expected for their age, et cetera,” says Maxime Taquet at the University of Oxford.

    • Chozo@fedia.io
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      4 months ago

      I’m pretty sure I caught a very mild, if not asymptomatic case very early on, because ever since late-2020 I’ve caught myself occasionally struggling to think of words while speaking, and sometimes just completely forgetting the last minute or two of a conversation for a few moments before it comes back to me. I hate that feeling, when somebody you’ve been talking to face-to-face for the last fifteen minutes looks at you waiting for you to add something, and you just completely blank out. That fog sucks.

      • Dave.@aussie.zone
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        4 months ago

        I had a full run of vaccinations and got COVID about 6 months later. Nothing serious, in bed for a few days, cold and flu tablets kept everything under control, a perfect case of the effectiveness of the vaccines in taking the edge off.

        But for about two weeks after “recovery” I was constantly forgetting keys, or my wallet. Drove halfway to the airport for a week away for work one morning and went, “oh shit, where’s my wallet?” and I’d placed it on a bench behind my car when I put my suitcase in the back and didn’t pick it up again. I’m 50 years old, I can count on one hand the number of times I’d forgotten my wallet before that.

        That brain fog eased off after that but I wonder sometimes if there are still long term effects that I’m not aware of.

      • can@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        Do you take omega 3 (fish oil)? I know that’s helped me with word retrieval type things before (in general).

        Edit: you want one with high amounts of EPA and DHA, should be listed on the bottle. I like the Costco “Super Concentrate” ones but any should help. Don’t bother with ones that are Omega 3-6-9.

      • Icalasari@fedia.io
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        4 months ago

        I am damned sure I got it at some point. My main issue is separating fog from my adhd

        btw, Lion’s Mane, supposed to promote new neuron growth. It might be placebo, but a bottle of that helped my mind clear up some, and it stuck after I stopped