British research on 81,300 people shows that cured corona patients score significantly worse than those who have not been infected.
In 2020, the BBC called out the ‘Great British Intelligence Test’, which my listeners could take online. The participants who took all nine sets of the cognitive tests – including tests of working memory, attention span and ability to correctly interpret other people’s emotions. – were asked afterwards about their medical history, education level and background. About 81,300 people answered all questions. More than 500 of them appeared to have previously had a confirmed corona infection.
From a comprehensive statistical analysis, published via The Lancet, it now appears that people who have had corona did significantly worse on the cognitive tests than other participants of the same age and socioeconomic profile.
Those who had to be on a ventilator in hospital because of Covid saw their cognitive abilities diminished even more than participants who said they had ever had a stroke or participants who reported having learning disabilities.
The most pronounced differences were in tests that measured how well the participants could reason and how good they are at problem-solving thinking and spatial awareness.
