Up to 96 Percent of COVID Patients Have This Lasting Complication, Study Says
This serious health issue can affect even those who are otherwise medically stable.
Certain symptoms, from trouble breathing to the loss of taste and smell, have become well-known hallmarks of COVID since the onset of the pandemic. However, as experts learn more about how the virus behaves, they've come to realize that COVID's symptoms extend well beyond the most frequently reported physical manifestations of the disease. In many cases, COVID patients experience pronounced, and long-lasting, cognitive impairments related to the virus, too. Read on to discover what researchers found to be the most common cognitive or mental health issue associated with COVID. And if you're worried about your risk of catching the virus, know that This Blood Type Makes You More Likely to Catch COVID, New Study Says.
According to a March 2021 review of research published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, researchers at U.K.-based Oxford Brookes University found that there's one symptom that affects the vast majority of COVID patients: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Citing a study published in the March 2020 volume of Psychological Medicine, the article's authors noted that up to 96 percent of medically stable study subjects with a COVID diagnosis experienced PTSD.
"Understanding the neuropsychiatric and cognitive consequences of COVID-19 is important as millions of people have been affected by the virus, and many cases go undetected. These conditions affect people's capacity to work effectively, drive, manage finances, make informed decisions and participate in daily family activities," explained Sanjay Kumar, PhD, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Oxford Brookes University, and the new study's lead author, in a statement.
That wasn't the only significant cognitive symptom experienced by COVID patients, however; read on to discover what 10 separate studies found to be the most common cognitive and neurological effects experienced by COVID survivors. And if you're getting your shot soon, beware that Doctors Want You to "Be Prepared" for This Delayed Vaccine Side Effect.
7
Fatigue
COVID patients who reported this symptom: Up to 27 percent
And for more on how COVID could affect you long term, check out Dr. Fauci Just Said This Is the Tell-Tale Sign You Have Long COVID.
6
Anxiety
COVID patients who reported this symptom: 28 percent
5
Peripheral nervous system disorders
COVID patients who reported this symptom: Up to 36 percent
And to see where cases are on the rise, check out COVID Numbers Are Now Spiking Again in These 10 States.
4
Affective disorders, including depression
COVID patients who reported this symptom: Up to 42 percent
3
Impaired attention
COVID patients who reported this symptom: Up to 45 percent
2
Memory problems
COVID patients who reported this symptom: Up to 50 percent
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1
Central nervous system issues
COVID patients who reported this symptom: Up to 62 percent
And if you're wondering when the pandemic could be over, This Could Cause a Fourth Wave of COVID, CDC Director Warns.
