Amnesia after leaving Covid-19

After being infected with nCoV in March, Michael Reagan completely lost his memories of his 12-day vacation in Paris, even though the trip had only happened a few weeks earlier.

"I looked at all my pictures in Paris, trying to remember. We went to a Madonna show, to the Eiffel Tower and to the Tomb. And I don't remember anything, no memories left. "Anyway," said the 50-year-old vascular specialist.

During the summer months, there was a time when Mr. Reagan turned on the kitchen to make eggs and then negligently walked by, taking his pet dog for a walk around the street. Returning home, finding the pan was already hot on the stove, he panicked and hasn't cooked since.

A similar case happened with Lisa Mizelle, a veteran nurse at the urgent care clinic. She got nCoV in July. After she recovered from her illness, she realized she had forgotten the routine of testing and treatment, and had to ask her colleagues about terms she knew very well before.

"I left the room and did not remember what the patient just said. I was scared to think that I was working, feeling like I lost my memory," she said.

Reagan and Mizelle are just two of many patients with "Covid Brain Fog syndrome" (Covid Brain Fog). Symptoms include memory loss, confusion, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, and slow understanding of words. This condition interferes with the work and day-to-day activities of people who have been infected with COV.

Scientists are still uncertain about the cause of Covid-19 posterior brain fog. The syndrome affects even people with mild nCoV infection, with no underlying disease, with very different manifestations. The most reliable theory is that it arises when the body's immune response to the virus does not stop working even when the patient is cured or due to inflammation in the blood vessels affecting the brain.

 

Nurse Lisa Mizelle often forgets the procedure of examination and testing after being infected with nCoV in July. Photo: NY Times

Many people with Covid-19 hospitalized due to respiratory problems also present themselves confusion, delirium, and impaired mental function while under treatment. Research published October 5 indicates that these people have a higher mortality rate.

However, the scientific understanding of the post-Covid-19 lingering brain fog is quite limited. A French report in August of 120 patients admitted to hospital showed that 34% had dementia, and 27% had difficulty concentrating months later.

In the Survivor Corps survey, a group that connects 3,930 people who had previously had Covid-19, more than half said they had difficulty concentrating. It is the 4th most common symptom out of 101 long-term and short-term physical, mental, and psychological conditions reported.

"There are thousands of people with this disorder," said Dr. Igor Koralnik, head of the department of infectious neurological diseases, Northwestern Medicine Hospital. "Its impact on the workforce will be significant."

Mr. Reagan spent 5 days in and out of the hospital. In the early days of his recovery, he continued to work as a consultant for a company that made stents and heart catheters. But symptoms like finger tremors, convulsions, and confusion soon appeared. This means "there's no way I could have surgery or teach a doctor how to sew an artery in that state," he said.

Sometimes, in meetings. Dr. Reagan forgot words. He had to take some time off. "I felt like an idiot," he recalls.

Nurse Lisa Mizelle contracted nCoV in July. After she was discharged from the hospital, she still cared for six patients by herself at the Huntsville clinic. But recently, she has been unable to work alone because of her slow thinking, or dizziness, and always needs colleagues on her side.

"Sometimes I try to be clever so that the patient doesn't notice. Nobody wants to see my doctor have brain fog. This is very scary," she said.

Dr. Michael Reagan looked at pictures taken in Paris to find memories. Photo: NY Times

"Brain fog" in general remains a mystery to the medical community because the symptoms are diverse. "The simplest answer is that people's immune responses are still being activated," said Dr. Avindra Nath, head of the nervous system infections at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. persistent after the first episode of infection subsides. This reaction can cause inflammation in blood vessels or cells. The released inflammatory molecules become toxins, especially to the brain.

According to Dr. Dona Kim Murphey, who has experienced Covid-19 sequelae, small strokes can cause a number of phenomena, including "Alien Hand Syndrome" (AHS). ). The patient cannot control the movements of his or her hand. This could be the problem that Dr. Reagan had, preventing him from continuing with surgery.

Another hypothesis is the autoimmune state, "when antibodies mistakenly attack nerve cells," says Dr. Serena Spudich, head of the department of neurological infections, Yale University School of Medicine. Symptoms such as numbness and tingling limbs can occur when damaged nerves send false signals to the brain. Some people with brain fog still have heart and lung problems. This also aggravates neurological symptoms.

Experts recommend that people experiencing this condition see a doctor to rule out other diseases and treat neurological. They don't know if symptoms go away with time. Some patients think of alternative solutions or temporary rehabilitation exercises. Mr. Reagan began walking to random locations near his home in Lower Manhattan on the advice of his doctor. He wrote down the instructions and read them many times before leaving with his dog.