Pandemic Accelerates Brain Ageing, Study Reveals

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to accelerated brain ageing, with people experiencing an average of 5.5 months more brain ageing than expected, according to a study published in Nature Communications. Researchers from the University of Nottingham used brain scans from almost 1,000 people and found that the pandemic group's brains had aged more than those in a control group who had scans done pre-pandemic. The study suggests that even people who avoided infection saw an impact, with grey and white matter in the brain ageing at a faster rate due to the strain on people's lives from lockdown, isolation, and uncertainty.

Key Takeaways:

• The pandemic group's brains had an average 5.5 months more brain ageing than the control group.
• Brain ageing during the pandemic was "more pronounced" among men, older people, and those from deprived backgrounds.
• The study found that brain ageing during the pandemic was almost six months more than expected for all people, irrespective of age.
• Grey and white matter in the brain aged at a faster rate due to the pandemic, with white and grey matter ageing by three days per calendar year in the non-pandemic group, but doubling to more than a week in the pandemic group.
• People who contracted the virus experienced nine days of ageing, while non-infected people experienced six days of ageing.
• The study found that people who were infected with the virus showed lower performance on cognitive tests after the pandemic.
• The research team suggested that the strain on people's lives from lockdown, isolation, and uncertainty may have aged the brains of the nation.

Statistics:

• Average 5.5 months more brain ageing in the pandemic group compared to the control group.
• 6 months more brain ageing than expected for all people during the pandemic, irrespective of age.
• 3 days per calendar year of ageing in the non-pandemic group for grey and white matter.
• More than a week of ageing in the pandemic group for grey and white matter.
• 9 days of ageing in people who contracted the virus.
• 6 days of ageing in non-infected people.

Sources:

• "Covid-19 pandemic accelerates brain ageing" by Joe Pinkstone, Science Correspondent (The Telegraph).
• "Aged brains: Covid-19 pandemic accelerates brain ageing in people who did and didn't catch the virus, study finds" by Josephine Loucas (The Telegraph).
• University of Nottingham research team, "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on brain health," published in Nature Communications.