Wellness Exchange: Health Discussions
COVID-19’s Impact: Brain Aging by Seven Years
(upbeat music) - Welcome to Quick News, this is Ted. The news was published on Sunday, November 24th. Today we have an intriguing discussion lined up about something that's impacting us all. How COVID-19 can really mess with brain function, even causing drops in IQ scores. Here with us to break down these findings are our guests, Eric and Kate. Let's dive right in, shall we? And see what they have to say about the severity of these findings. - Well, Ted, I gotta say, it's jaw-dropping stuff. Think about it. Even a mild bout of COVID can aid your brain like you've added seven years to it. That ain't just a get over it type of issue. We're talking about real deal consequences for society. When you're noggins taking such a hit, it's more than just a personal problem. It's everybody's business. - Come on, Eric. Isn't that putting a little too much mustard on it? - I mean, the average drop in IQ is what, three points for mild symptoms? It's hardly like we're all turning into zombies. There's more to worry about in life than getting caught up in doomsday scenarios. We're rebounding. - But hold up, Kate. Those three points might seem like no biggie, but when you tally it up across the nation, that's millions more folks dipping below a 70 IQ. We're talking about a potential 2.8 million adults needing more support just to get by. That's not just numbers. It's real implications for healthcare and community support systems. - Here we go with the scare tactics, huh? You conservatives always love to paint the devil on the wall. Over time, the virus's impact diminishes. Look back at history. Pandemics tend to smooth out after we learn to adapt. So let's not freak people out with predictions of cognitive doom. It's not always helpful. - Let's try to tone it down a notch. Now the term brain fog gets tossed around a lot. What exactly should we understand it as? And just how seriously should we take it? - Let me lay it out plain and simple. Brain fog isn't just some catchy phrase the media cooked up. It's a legit issue. Folks are struggling with memory glitches slowing down when they think. Some ain't even ruled out nerve paralysis. Studies show these symptoms aren't just troubles. You can't ignore them or brush them off as temporary lapses. - Oh, please don't buy into all the hype. Brain fog's been here before COVID, stress, flu. They've been causing it too. Media tends to sensationalize stuff and bam, suddenly it's a pandemic exclusive. Let's be real, you gotta sift through the noise to find the truth about what's a genuine threat. - I hear you, but it ain't just noise. Recent data points are drawing a broad and worrying picture about drops in cognitive abilities, no matter where you look. This isn't just a blip on the radar. It's a full blown situation affecting diverse groups. And it could really redefine mental health support. - Even if that's the case, brain health's always been this big, gnarly thing with many heads. Blaming it all on COVID overlooks what burnout and the anxiety of lockdowns have done. It's a mixed bag of things hitting us, not just a single bullet fired by the virus alone. - Let's switch gears here. How does this stack up against past pandemics? Are we seeing something repeated here? Or is COVID-19 really a unique beast in its own right? - I'll tell you folks, the 1918 flu had some serious lingering effects too. But COVID-19, it's doing a number on global brain health, like we've never seen. We're looking at an epidemic that's gnawing at the core of cognitive health on a whole different level right now. - The comparison's a bit of a stretch if you ask me. Back in 1918, the medical scene and how info got around was nowhere near today's level. We've got better tools, answers, and avenues for support now. So drawing direct lines between then and now is- - Look, I get where you're coming from. - Times are different, sure. But the patterns of widespread health consequences are eerily similar. Be it physical pains or mental strains, post-pandemics have historically carved, noticeable marks on society. - Well, bear in mind, the psychological load this pandemic's heaped on us. Our world today is a digital web, a hyper-connected blend that's feeding anxiety like never before. So it's not just the pandemic. It's how it interacts with this modern orchestra- - Speaking of history. Do we have any evidence telling us if these cognitive impacts might fade over time or are they here to stick around? - Back in the day, many of these after effects did kind of fade, but the severity, especially with these drastic IQ drop scenarios we're seeing now, hints that we might be dealing with something a tad more permanent. It's like sneaky shadow boxing. These changes could linger longer than we think. - Folks have bounced back from nastier pandemics like the one in 1918. They'll do it now. - Thanks to how medicines evolved. We've got the technology to push resilience levels higher, help folks pick themselves up and smarten up better-- - Not to sound pessimistic, but bouncing back doesn't mean invincible. If we hand-wave this trend, we're risking downplaying future challenges society might face. Caution isn't about fear. It's about prepping for what's going on. - But if we blow things out of proportion, we could trigger unnecessary panic. Panic does more harm to mental health than any virus can. Especially when people start seeing uncertainties-- - All right, let's refocus on the future. Looking ahead, how should we brace ourselves for the potential long-term effects of these cognitive shifts? What steps or strategies should we consider implementing? - To be honest, if we don't address this head on, we might see an economic crunch with everyone functioning at less than peak productivity. It's time to pour some serious resources into cognitive health research. Getting ahead of this now could save us from a whole heap of headaches or head fog, more like. - I don't see it that way. Right now, we need to put mental health at the forefront since it's been heavily taxed. Immediate support systems could give us better returns by helping the overall well-being today instead of focusing on just-- - Interesting perspectives. How do these findings potentially sway future public health policies then? - Moving forward, I reckon health policies should we've long-term cognitive health strategies into their fabric. We can't keep skimping on research funding if we want policies that reflect the on-ground realities of this shifting landscape. - It's more about reshaping policies to embrace mental health right alongside cognitive health. Broaden the lens to focus on the mental stamina given today's societal stress levels, not just the clinical-- - Crafting cognitive support programs sounds like the smart play, arming people with the tools to tackle these IQ dips head on and get the younger generations ready for the future hurdles. Supporting mental well-being in general is the bedrock for long-term cognitive resilience. You got to bolster social support systems as a whole rather than zeroing in on specific cognitive elements and-- - Side-stepping the specific cognitive decline data isn't wise. A focused plan on these details could be the line between managing the decline well or-- - A sweeping mental health scheme already taps into cognitive issues. Overanalyzing and peeling everything into segments? That could stir up more issues-- - Well, you've both given us plenty to chew on. Thanks for joining us and sharing your insights. And thank you to the listeners for tuning into quick news today. Stay informed and take care, everyone.