Pandemic had real lasting impact on cognitive function in over-50s, study finds

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Lockdowns and other restrictions brought in during the pandemic have had a “real lasting impact” on the brain health of people over the age of 50, researchers have suggested. Our findings suggest that lockdowns and other restrictions we experienced during the pandemic have had a real lasting impact on brain health in people aged 50 or over, even after the lockdowns ended Professor Anne Corbett, University of Exeter Analysis showed the rate of cognitive decline quickened in the first year of the pandemic, and was higher among those who had already shown signs of mild cognitive decline before the outbreak of Covid-19. Anne Corbett, professor of dementia research and Protect Study lead at the University of Exeter, said: “Our findings suggest that lockdowns and other restrictions we experienced during the pandemic have had a real lasting impact on brain health in people aged 50 or over, even after the lockdowns ended. “Our findings also highlight the need for policymakers to consider the wider health impacts of restrictions like lockdowns when planning for a future pandemic response.” On the positive note, there is evidence that lifestyle changes and improved health management can positively influence mental functioning Professor Dar Aarsland, King's College London Dag Aarsland, a professor of old age psychiatry at King’s IoPPN, said: “This study adds to the knowledge of the longstanding health consequences of Covid-19, in particular for vulnerable people such as older people with mild memory problems.