Covid-19 has negatively affected the health of thousands of people, young, adult and older.
While experts state that brain involvement has occurred in some individuals caught in the epidemic, Covid - 19 points out that Alzheimer's disease progresses very quickly. Stating that they found that the brain volumes of some patients decreased by 1 in 4 in the MRI results, experts point out that individuals with advanced dementia, Alzheimer's and different underlying diseases should be protected more because they are at risk.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Neurology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin talked about the important problems caused by Covid-19, especially in individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia.
Covid - 19 is a disease that leaves effects on the body
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin said, 'Covid-19 is a new disease. In people who have this disease, complaints continue for a long time after turning negative,' he said and continued his words as follows:
"Not only the patient's feeling of mental slowdown, but also his pain, cough and many discomforts continue for a long time. Covid-19 may not be a short-lasting disease as we think. People may be experiencing the effects of the disease even after the test results turn negative. There is no clear data on this, but the first information we have received and observed indicates that the pandemic is not a disease that disappears suddenly. It is a disease that leaves effects on the body even after the virus infection has passed. In fact, all virus infections leave a mental slowdown effect on the person. For example, we know that when we have the flu, our mind cannot function as it normally does. Since Covid-19 is a virus infection that lasts a little longer, it is natural that the same effect lasts longer."
Causes Alzheimer's to progress very fast
Stating that brain involvement occurs in some individuals, not every individual caught in this epidemic, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Metin said, "Covid-19 can not only cause malaise, fatigue, fatigue and weakness due to the disease in some people, but it can also directly affect the brain. It can cause mental slowdown, especially in people. Some Alzheimer's patients have had Covid-19 and their condition progressed very quickly afterwards. There is data suggesting that this pandemic can rapidly decline mental functions in people prone to dementia. Based on our personal observations, we can say that Alzheimer's patients are more at risk, so Alzheimer's patients need to be protected more."
Covid-19 shrinks brain volume
In addition, Neurology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Barış Metin, who stated that they observed that Covid-19 caused brain volumes to shrink in some patients, said: "When we compared the MRI results before and after the outbreak, we found that the brain volume shrank by 1 in 4. Not in every patient, but in some patients, we saw that after receiving Covid-19 treatment and recovering, they could not mentally return to normal for a long time, they could not recognize their relatives after discharge, that is, they had difficulty in orientation to normal life. But this does not mean that every Covid-19 patient has the same problems. We can say that individuals with advanced age, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and different underlying diseases are at risk and that the pandemic has such effects for individuals in the risky group."
