U.S. Centers for Disease Control describes cognitive impairment as a state where mental abilities degrade. Moreover, people with this condition have trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that affect their everyday life. Now new research appearing in MedPage on August 7, 2022 says loss of smell predicts cognitive impairment too.
Loss of Smell Predicts Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults
The study found that loss of smell (anosmia) was a stronger indicator of cognitive impairment, than age in older adults. But this was only after their study examined records of patients who had acute COVID-19 a year later after their Illness subsided.
Gabriela Gonzalez-Aleman of Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina in Buenos Aires explained her findings at the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.
“The more insight we have into what causes or at least predicts who will experience the significant long-term cognitive impact of COVID-19 infection. The better we can then track it and begin to develop methods to prevent it,” she stressed.
Her study is input to a global project to research the neuropsychiatric impact of COVID-19 on behavior and cognition. This is rolling out under auspices of Alzheimer’s Association, but with technical guidance from World Health Organization.
Learning More and More about COVID-19 and the Brain
“We’re learning more every day about the link between COVID-19 and the brain,” says Claire Sexton. She is senior director of scientific programs and outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association. “Loss of smell is often a signal of an inflammatory response in the brain.
“We know inflammation is part of the neuro-degenerative process in diseases like Alzheimer’s. With other viruses, such as SARS and MERS there have been similar associations between infection and cognition. But there are still big questions about cause and effect.”
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Preview Image: Facts About Anosmics
