As more people survive severe COVID-19, we become aware of the lingering consequences. Clinical professor and neuro-psychologist Andrew Levine, and graduate student Erin Kaseda have been exploring a phenomenon they call brain fog. Neuro Science Mag agrees the brain fog lingering after COVID-19 may be the result of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The Symptoms of Brain Fog Lingering After COVID-19
Neuro Science Mag says the effects are similar to the post-traumatic stress disorder accompanying severe SARS and MERS infections. Sensations include difficulty concentrating, as well as anxiety, fatigue, headaches, and sleep disruptions. Some patients fear their brains suffered damage, but this is not necessarily the case
Andrew Levine and graduate student Erin Kaseda examined historic information concerning SARS and MERS patients. They developed acute respiratory syndrome, and showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder as they hallucinated. And relieved terrifying memories of tubes inserted deep down their throats
Health Care Workers Also Feeling ‘Like They Have Dementia’
The brain fog syndrome is also affecting health care professionals.There are clear signs of lingering brain fog after treating severely affected COVID-19 patients. Pam Belluck described health care experiences in New York Times on October 11, 2020. She speaks of veteran nurses who contracted the disease, but were distressed and forgetful even after they recovered.
Graduate student Erin Kaseda believes there’s likely to be an underlying psychiatric disorder, especially when these symptoms persist for months, even years. The idea is to raise awareness among neuro-psychologists that PTSD is something they might want to consider, she says. Especially when they evaluate persistent cognitive and emotional difficulties among COVID-19 survivors.
Clinicians need to keep up to date with literature coming out, adds Erin Kaseda. Then they will have a better idea how to treat people with brain fog, lingering long after COVID-19 had passed.
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Preview Image: Lost in the Fog
