[ad_1]
- New research reveals that delirium can often be one of the first indicators of a coronavirus infection, but the general public is not aware of this telltale sign of COVID-19.
- Delirium encompasses a number of cognitive issues, including memory loss, sleep disturbances, and confusion.
One of the more difficult aspects of diagnosing a coronavirus infection is that many symptoms of COVID-19 – such as fatigue, fever, and body aches – line up almost perfectly with the symptoms we associate with influenza. Still, health experts and researchers over the past few months have noticed a small handful of coronavirus symptoms that don’t show up with a flu infection, with sudden loss of taste and smell being a prime example.
More recently, researchers from The Open Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in Barcelona, another symptom of coronavirus has been observed that does not usually occur with an influenza infection: delirium. By way of a quick introduction, delirium is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of cognitive issues such as confusion, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, sudden mood swings, sleeping problems, etc. .
The study was recently published in the HSOA Journal Clinical immunology and immunotherapy and relays that delirium can often be one of the earliest indications of a coronavirus infection.
The study reads in part:
New and emerging evidence suggests that the onset and / or development of delirium in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection is likely due to several factors, including (1) hypoxia and deficiency in brain oxygen, (2) neuronal inflammation due to cytokine storm following strong activation of the immune system and / or (3) direct CNS invasion and neuronal toxicity.
Hypoxia, a condition in which the body and / or a region of the body, such as the brain, is deprived of oxygen at the tissue level, can lead to neural swelling and brain edema which can lead to neurological and brain damage.
“Delirium is a state of confusion in which the person feels disconnected from reality, as if they are dreaming,” said UOC researcher Javier Correa. “We need to be vigilant, especially in an epidemiological situation like this, because an individual showing certain signs of confusion can be a sign of infection.”
The research here is interesting, and perhaps not surprising, given that a decline in cognitive function is also a common condition in patients who continue to show symptoms of coronavirus weeks and months after their initial diagnosis.
Earlier this month, a research study of 84,000 coronavirus patients found that people who experienced severe symptoms experienced decline in brain function months after recovery. In some cases, the decline was equivalent to aging the brain by 10 years.
According to the May Clinic, the onset of delirium is usually sudden. A full list of symptoms can be viewed below:
Reduced awareness of the environment
- An inability to stay focused on a subject or change the subject
- Being stuck on an idea rather than answering questions or a conversation
- Being easily distracted by unimportant things
- Be withdrawn, with little or no activity or little response to the environment
Poor thinking skills (cognitive impairment)
- Poor memory, especially recent events
- Disorientation – for example, not knowing where you are or who you are
- Difficulty speaking or remembering words
- Wandering or absurd speech
- Difficulty understanding speech
- Difficulty reading or writing
Behavior changes
- Seeing things that are not there (hallucinations)
- Agitation, agitation or combative behavior
- Call, moan or make other sounds
- Be calm and withdrawn – especially in the elderly
- Slow motion or lethargy
- Sleeping troubles
- Night-day sleep-wake cycle reversal
Emotional disturbances
- Anxiety, fear or paranoia
- The Depression
- Irritability or anger
- A feeling of elation (euphoria)
- Apathy
- Quick and unpredictable mood changes
- Personality changes
Long-time Mac user and avid Apple enthusiast, Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry in general for over 6 years. His writings have been published in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and most recently TUAW. When not writing and analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys watching improv shows in Chicago, playing football and cultivating new addictions to TV shows, the most recent examples being The Walking. Dead and Broad City.
[ad_2]
Source link