A study published in The Lancet Psychiatry Journal has investigated the prevalence of 14 different neurological and psychiatric symptoms up to two years after infection. On Monday morning, broadcaster and author Dr Norman Swan told ABC Radio National that it was the “best study to date” that showed Covid infection had long-term effects.“Essentially, the risk of mood and anxiety disorders went up after Covid-19 infection,” Dr Swan said.He said this rise could possibly be linked to lengthy periods of lockdown or the impact on wellbeing caused by illness.“The good news was it went down after one or two months,” he said.The study did identify three diagnoses that persisted up to two years after being infected with Covid.“What did persist was an increased risk of brain fog, a new diagnosis of dementia and psychotic disorders including delirium,” Dr Swan said.“At two years when you did this look back – unlike with the anxiety disorders – the risk did not go down.”In elderly people experiencing brain fog, the risk of death also went up.“That is worrying,” Dr Swan said.In children, the effects were more minor but there was an increased risk of cognitive problems and a brain inflammation called encephalitis. These risks for children were also short-lived and typically disappeared within the two years of the study.Dr Swan said the implications of the study are “quite significant” and showed that reinfection could increase the risk of long-term impacts.“Even if it’s 1 per cent of people who get these problems long term, that number just keeps adding over time because that risk does not go down,” he said. Dr Swan said some commentators had been dismissive of the study, saying to take it with “a little pinch of salt”.“A study that looks back is never as good as one that looks forward, nonetheless it’s kind of all we’ve got at the moment,” he said.
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