NEWS AND BLOG ABOUT NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Brain
Our social and scientific communities alike have been drastically uprooted since the novel coronavirus impacted the world last December. This article tackles questions regarding COIVD’s effects on the brain, cognition (thinking clarity), and general life functioning related to contracting the coronavirus, as well as discussing the road to recovery (read time: 10 mins)
COVID-19 & BRAIN FUNCTIONING
Our social and scientific communities alike have been drastically uprooted since the novel coronavirus impacted the world last December. This article tackles questions regarding COIVD’s effects on the brain, cognition (thinking clarity), and general life functioning related to contracting the coronavirus, as well as discussing the road to recovery (read time: 10 mins)
Image credit: Yamamoto, Ariumi, Nishida, Yamamoto, Bauer, Gojobori, Shimotohno, & Mizokami, 2020 (linked)
Side-effects? Am I a long-hauler? What does this illness really look like?
Although the respiratory side effects are readily discussed, research on other significant side effects are now begining to emerge. In fact, a subset of individuals populalry termed “long-haulers” have reported symptoms that continue to affect their lives, even months after they are considered to have “recovered” or produced a negative COVID test. You might have seen the CBS 60 Minutes news special highlighting such cases. Clealry, the range of symptoms is not fully understood, however, here is what we do know:
In one of the largest studies yet, published in The Lancet journal on April 6, 2021, researchers reviewed the records of more than 236,000 COVID-19 patients and found:
34% of COVID-19 patients went on to receive a diagnosis for a neurological or psychological disorder within 6 months of contracting COVID-19.
Apart from COVID alone, the researchers found:
there was a 44% increased risk for neurological and psychological illnesses in COVID patients compared to patients recovering from the flu.
Although mental health symptoms following COVID-19 are generally more common than neurological complications, the seriousness of both symptoms should be considered as society continues to understand this illness, its trajectory, and recovery.
INITIAL NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS
So what are the neurological complications that can occur if one gets sick with COVID-19? The most common neurological symptoms reported include:
Headaches and dizziness
Myalgias (muscle aches and pains)
Encephalopathy (damage or disease that affects the brain)
Dysgeusia (distortion of the sense of taste)
Anosmia (loss of smell)
Impaired cognition (brain fog)
In a study from a large medical center in Chicago, researchers found:
More than 40% of patients with COVID-19 reported having at least one of these symptoms at the outset of treatment, and more than 80% reported having at least one of these symptoms during the course of the illness.
Another initial neurological complication that can sometimes occur is delirium.
Delirium is a syndrome caused by a medical condition (such as COVID-19) and results in acute changes in cognition, attention, and awareness.
In older patients with COVID-19 who present to the emergency room, there is a significant rate of delirium documented (and some of these patients with no other COVID-19 symptoms).
LONG-TERM NEUROLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES
Research continues to suggest that potential long-term consequences may exist for patients, post-COVID. In particular, cases of mild brain damage due to lack of oxygen (hypoxemia), stroke, and encephalitis (brain infection and swelling) have emerged in the literature.
Those over the age of 70 may be most vulnerable to these secondary health risks, as their bodies fight to recover from COVID-19.
Due to these brain insults (e.g., encephalitis, stroke, hypoxemia), profound cognitive impairments can occur. Here are some key points to keep in mind.
most of the time, any COVID-related brain damage is mild
many survivors, however, report extreme fatigue and overall declines in their mental sharpness and ability
These cases may warrant specific investigation from a neuropsychologist
While brain damage can be seen in more severe cases of COVID-19, even mild cases can produce subtle or lingering effects on cognition, as this infection is not fully understood.
The most common finding is that it can lead to difficulties with sustained attention.
Many post-COVID individuals describe a kind of “brain fog” associated with their recovery.
Clinically speaking, brain fog might describe a state of mental confusion or altered mental status — a state of mental functioning that differs significantly from one’s normal range of cognitive ability (or pre-illness baseline).
It is likely that chronic, long-term neuroinflammation can explain these persistent and residual COVID-19 complaints. Such subtle cognitive changes associated with COVID-19 have caused many individuals problems when returning to work and their normal lives. They report that they “just don’t feel completely like themselves.” This can be particularly upsetting for people, as their difficulties may seem largely invisible to others. Furthermore, not all COVID cases behave the same, so it is important to remember:
It may be easy to feel frustrated, discredited, or shrugged-off by acquaintances who may have recovered without a hitch.
Even doctors can may come off as invalidating at times. New information is proliferating at an unprecedented rate, and thus, the value of compassion and understanding will be ever-important as we traverse this learning curve together.
LOOKING AHEAD
With the abundance of new research on COVID-19, we still have much to learn about life during and after the virus. Optimistically, however, as we continue to dissect the research, our scientific community will highlight better ways to prevent, screen, and treat COVID-related complications moving forward.
**Receiving accurate information is the first step to a brighter future.
If you have recovered from COVID-19, and feel that you have experienced psychological or cognitive changes as a result of the virus, consulting for a neuropsychological evaluation may be appropriate to assess your current level of functioning – which can support a more personalized understanding of your recovery. To ask questions or discuss your concerns further, please contact us at: (805) 966-6197.
—And as always, remember our informal motto written below:
References
1. Couzin-Frankel, J. (2020). From ‘brain fog’ to heart damage, COVID-19’s lingering problems alarm scientists.
2. Kennedy, M., Helfand, B. K., Gou, R. Y., Gartaganis, S. L., Webb, M., Moccia, J. M., ... & Inouye, S. K. (2020). Delirium in Older Patients With COVID-19 Presenting to the Emergency Department. JAMA network open, 3(11).
3. Liotta, E. M., Batra, A., Clark, J. R., Shlobin, N. A., Hoffman, S. C., Orban, Z. S., & Koralnik, I. J. (2020). Frequent neurologic manifestations and encephalopathy‐associated morbidity in Covid‐19 patients. Annals of clinical and translational neurology, 7(11), 2221-2230.
4. Oliu-Barton, M., Pradelski, B. S., Aghion, P., Artus, P., Kickbusch, I., Lazarus, J. V., ... & Vanderslott, S. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 elimination, not mitigation, creates best outcomes for health, the economy, and civil liberties. The Lancet.
5. Taquet, M., Geddes, J. R., Husain, M., Luciano, S., & Harrison, P. J. (2021). 6-month neurological and psychological outcomes in 236,379 survivors of COVID-10: A retrospective cohort study using electronic health records. The Lancet.
6. Yamamoto, N., et al. “SARS-CoV-2 Infections and COVID-19 Mortalities Strongly Correlate with ACE1 I/D Genotype.” Elsevier, Gene 758. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2020.144944
7. Zhou, H., Lu, S., Chen, J., Wei, N., Wang, D., Lyu, H., ... & Hu, S. (2020). The landscape of cognitive function in recovered COVID-19 patients. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 129, 98-102.
For more information about how to best support yourself or your loved ones in older age, please contact me, Dr. Marina Wischnack, Ph.D.
As a psychologist with specialty training in neuropsychological testing, the brain, and behavior, I have the knowledge and experience to help you and your family with diagnosis, treatment planning, and coordination among other professionals (e.g. neurology, radiology, social work, psychiatry). We can make sense of your condition and help you reduce its impact on your family and life.
At Insight Neuropsychology we provide personalized assessment and treatment services to promote cognitive health and well-being. We help you learn about how your child’s brain is functioning and how their environment is affecting them, as INSIGHT is the first step in improving your mental functions.
Want information about Aging-well?
We have online courses available for people across the age range, including a course on mindfulness and the developing brain.
Click the INSIGHT SKILLS link above to see our courses!
Listen to Dr. Stifel discuss coping with COVID for parents and families on The Deciders radio show
The Deciders radio show on 790KABC with Renee Fraser focuses on changing our communities by interviewing CEOs, people who are working to build their businesses, and/or people who are change agents working to create positive social change in their communities.
In this interview, Dr. Stifel discusses how you and your kids can cope with COVID, including trying to understand the situation and normalize our experiences. Some topics discussed include screen time issues right now and how to discuss coronavirus with your kids.
Need more help?
Interested in learning more, or want an assessment or advocacy services for your child?
For more information about how to best support your child’s schoolwork at home, please contact me, Dr. Skye Stifel, at Insight Neuropsychology. As a former special education teacher, a Nationally and California Certified School Psychologist, and Licensed Educational Psychologist. I have the knowledge and experience to help you with your child.
At Insight Neuropsychology we provide personalized assessment and treatment services to promote cognitive health and well-being. We help you learn about how your child’s brain is functioning and how their environment is affecting them, as INSIGHT is the first step in improving your mental functions.
Want to Learn More Now?
We have online courses available for people across the age range, including a course on mindfulness and the developing brain.
Click below to see our courses!
COVID-19 Scams and Seniors
Scams are an unfortunate part of our reality. From IRS scams to romance scams, there are more ways than ever for unsavory characters to steal your hard earned money.
This fact is even more sobering when it comes to seniors. Even in seniors that are aging normally without any dementia condition, their aging brains put them at much higher risk of being scammed. It is estimated that seniors lose close to $3 billion each year to scams. One of the most important ways this risk can be lessened is by keeping seniors, their loved ones, and care professionals up to date on the most prevalent scams. In 2020, we find ourselves in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seniors are one of the populations considered at-risk of serious consequences from contracting the virus. This increased fear and the general lifestyle changes caused by COVID-19 have led to new ways for scammers to take advantage of older adults.
In this post, we will share the top 5 current scams that are targeting seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide some advice for staying safe from these new and devastating scams.
Contact Tracing Scams
What’s The Scam?
Contact tracing is the process of identifying people who have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. The purpose is to warn these people that they should quarantine themselves and continuously monitor their symptoms. Contact tracing is understood to play an essential role in stopping the spread of COVID-19. A real contact tracer is someone hired by the state department of public health. They work with an infected individual to get names and contact information for people that the infected individual came into close contact with while infectious. This information is kept in an online system, and the contact tracer never asks the individuals that they contact for personal information such as bank or Social Security information.
Currently, scammers are sending text messages pretending to be contact tracers. Most of these texts will include a link that you are asked to click. A key difference between fraudulent and legitimate contact tracing texts is that real contact tracing only texts to inform you that they will be calling. They will never ask you to click on a link.
Clicking the false links in these text messages can download software onto your device, giving scammers access to your personal information. They may also follow up and directly ask for bank account numbers, social security number, or other important personal information.
Why it Works
By using official language, scammers rely on a sense of authority to convince victims to trust them. Since contact tracing is a real and legitimate strategy being employed by state governments, seniors may have heard the term before, which further creates a false sense of comfort.
What You Can Do
Never provide bank information or other personal information, such as your social security number, to someone through text message. Your phone or wireless provider may also have options to filter or block unknown senders or spam. When in doubt, ask them to call you or share the text with a trusted loved one to get their opinion. There are very few circumstances where clicking a link through an unsolicited text message.
Stimulus Check Scams
What’s the Scam?
By now, most Americans have received a stimulus payment from the government in response the the economic hardship caused by the coronavirus outbreak. If you have not yet received your check, you can use the IRS tool to determine your eligibility and when you may get paid. Although the first round of stimulus payments have mostly been distributed, it is possible that the American public may see additional financial aid coming through in the following weeks or months. Therefore, scammers still have an opportunity to prey upon seniors hoping for some financial relief.
Scammers have been posing as IRS or other government entities to convince individuals that they need personal information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, or government benefit card information. Typically, they will inform the contacted individual that their stimulus check is ready, but additional information is necessary to process the transaction. They might also claim that a fee must be paid in order to get the money, which is a common lie in financial scams.
Why it Works
Many seniors are living in a time of financial uncertainty. If they owe money due to a mortgage or other bills and their livelihood has been effected by the coronavirus, they may be counting on the stimulus money to get by. Using visceral rewards such as money is one way that scammers bypass critical thinking and cause seniors to act on impulse.
What You Can Do
Remember that the IRS will never contact you via text message, email, or social media with information about your stimulus check. There are no fees associated with the stimulus benefit and anyone asking you to pay a fee or return a portion of the deposited money is a scammer. Using the IRS tool is the best way to track your check and anyone contacting you directly regarding the check through one of the methods mentioned above should be blocked.
Testing Kit Scams
What’s the Scam?
With all of the uncertainty about who might be a COVID-19 carrier and the fact that people can carry the infection without actively showing symptoms, it would be very nice if there was a convenient way to test yourself for the infection at home. Unfortunately, there are no home-based tests at this time. This hasn’t stopped scammers from offering them, however.
Currently, scammers are contacting individuals by phone, email, or text message to offer COVID-19 testing kits. It has also been reported that some of these scammers are attempting to sell fake at-home testing kits door to door. The primary purpose of this scam is simply to get individuals to send the scammers money. However, there is another variant of this scam in which the scammer will post as a government official stating that the individual is required to take a COVID-19 test. In these cases, the scammer will often ask for your health insurance information, such as Medicare or Social Security numbers. They will then use this information to bill insurance for services that were not actually rendered and keep the reimbursement.
Why it Works
Seniors are especially at risk of this scam and similar scams due to personal and emotional factors. Rather than focusing on the economic anxiety of the situation, scammers are preying upon senior’s desire to prove that they are healthy so that they may have contact with loved ones such as grandchildren. Seniors are also aware that they are an at-risk population when it comes to severe consequences from COVID-19 infection, so their physical health is likely a constant concern during this period of time.
What You Can Do
The most important thing someone can do to avoid falling prey to scams related to tests and other health-related products is to stay informed about the current status of COVID-19 testing and treatment by using official sources such as the CDC. Currently there are no at-home test kits that have been approved for public use. Anyone offering to sell you a test-kit is most likely attempting to scam you.
Charity Scams
What’s the Scam?
During this period of collective hardship, many legitimate charities have popped up. Examples of real charities that you may come across include charities providing personal protective equipment to healthcare workers and those sending money directly to individuals financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, during times of increased aid, scammers often ramp up their efforts to swindle honest people out of their money.
Fake charity scammers may contact you in a variety of ways including pre-recorded robocalls, email, or text message. These scammers will either make up their own official sounding charity name or use the name of a real existing charity to earn your trust. They might ask for for direct donations or personal information such as bank account info.
Why it Works
By using the names of real charities and sometimes going as far as to create official looking websites or letterhead, charity scammers create the illusion of authority, which can make seniors overlook warning signs that the charity may not be legitimate. The fact that there are also many new charities related to coronavirus that have been created also means that it can be hard to keep track of which are real.
What You Can Do
It is very rare that a real charity will ever send you a confusing robocall. If you get a robocall, you can just ignore it. If you receive another form of communication from a charity, take the time to do some research before deciding to send them your money. Use an online search engine to search the charity name. You can also use watchdog groups such as Charity Watch or Charity Navigator to look up their information.
Typically, real charities will request money but will not be mean or pushy with you. If you are pushed to make an immediate decision about donating money, this could be a warning sign. You can always ask them to call back another time, which would give you time to research the legitimacy of the organization.
Lastly, watch out for the payment method that the charity is asking for. A legitimate charity will never ask you to purchase some form of gift card or ask for information to make a wire transfer.
Fake Cure Scams
What’s the Scam?
The coronavirus is scary, deadly, and inconvenient. Of course people are yearning for a cure or some effective means to prevent the virus from infecting themselves and their loved ones. This has lead to a huge influx of fake and unproven treatments for the coronavirus. These are sometimes marketed through email or regular post. They have also become extremely prevalent on social media sites such as Facebook. Advertisements might tout essential oils, teas, colloidal silver, or intravenous vitamin C as cures or proven ways to prevent the virus. Add to this the rampant misinformation and conspiracy theories that have been circulating regarding COVID-19 and it’s no wonder that these scams are so effective.
Why it Works
As with the testing kits, seniors are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 cure scams due to their status as an at-risk population. With their physical health at risk, they are very motivated to find something that can protect themselves from the threat. Visceral motivators such as physical health can tap into the more primitive parts of the aging brain to cause seniors to make decisions based on fear rather than logic.
What You Can Do
There are currently NO proven treatments or preventative measures for COVID-19. Current treatments are aimed at managing symptoms and helping someone ride out the infection. Further, many of the unproven cures that are advertised online may actually cause harm, especially in seniors. If you have a question about a treatment or supplement that you see, call your doctor before purchasing. Also keep in mind that if there were a miracle cure or prevention method for this virus, the numbers would be much lower than they are now.
Conclusion
Scams are nothing new. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers are finding new opportunities to prey upon our fears and uncertainties to take away our money and other resources. Seniors are especially vulnerable, whether or not they have memory problems or other age-related issues.
To learn more about why aging causes people to become more easily scammed, check out our brand new online course, Scams and the Aging Brain.
In this three-lesson course, licensed neuropsychologist, Erik Lande, Ph.D., covers how scams work, why normal aging increases scam risk, how to help someone who has been scammed, and how to prevent seniors from being scammed in the first place.
