COVID-19 Pandemic Accelerated Brain Aging by Over 5 Months, Study Finds

A groundbreaking study from the University of Nottingham reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated brain aging by an average of 5.5 months, even among individuals who never contracted the virus. Using advanced artificial intelligence analyzing brain scans from nearly 1,000 adults, researchers found that the stress, isolation, and social upheaval of the pandemic left measurable marks on brain structure across the population.

The study analyzed longitudinal brain images, comparing people scanned before and after the pandemic began against a control group scanned only before. Results showed notable brain aging acceleration, especially among older adults, men, and those from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Intriguingly, structural brain aging occurred regardless of infection status; however, cognitive decline—manifested as reduced mental flexibility and processing speed—was only observed in participants who had contracted COVID-19.

Dr. Ali-Reza Mohammadi-Nejad, lead author, emphasized the significance: “Even people who hadn’t had COVID showed increases in brain aging rates, highlighting how the pandemic experience itself, with all its uncertainty and isolation, impacted brain health”.

The study underscores the profound effects of societal disruptions on brain health beyond the direct effects of the virus. Professor Dorothee Auer, senior author, noted, “Brain health is shaped not only by illness but by our everyday environment.” Whether these pandemic-related brain changes are reversible remains unknown, but researchers see the possibility for recovery as encouraging.

This research offers vital insights into the hidden neurological impacts of the pandemic, spotlighting the need for public health strategies addressing mental and brain well-being in times of societal crisis.