Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cognitive Costs Of COVID? Severe Cases May Age 10 Years
The Hill: Researchers Link Severe COVID-19 Cases To Mental Decline Equal To Aging A Decade
People that have suffered severe cases of COVID-19 may experience mental decline equal to the brain aging by a decade, according to a new study released this month. Researchers from the United Kingdom analyzed the test data of more than 84,000 participants who took the Great British Intelligence Test and were suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19. (Williams, 10/27)
KHN: For Each Critically Ill COVID Patient, A Family Is Suffering, Too
The weeks of fear and uncertainty that Pam and Paul Alexander suffered as their adult daughter struggled against COVID-19 etched itself into the very roots of their hair, leaving behind bald patches by the time she left the hospital in early May. Tisha Holt had been transferred by ambulance from a smaller hospital outside Nashville, Tennessee, to Vanderbilt University Medical Center on April 14, when her breathing suddenly worsened and doctors suspected COVID-19. Within several days her diagnosis had been confirmed, her oxygen levels were dropping, and breathing had become so excruciating that it felt like her “lungs were wrapped in barbed wire,” as Tisha describes it. (Huff, 10/28)
Also —
Stat: Can Boosting The ‘Bliss Molecule’ Help Treat Mental Health Conditions?
There’s an enzyme in the body that regulates what scientists refer to as “the bliss molecule,” a neurotransmitter associated with generally feeling good. And thus it made sense that blocking that enzyme, called FAAH, might be a useful way to combat feeling bad, like in cases of chronic pain or depression. (Garde, 10/27)
The Washington Post: Help For People Who Suffer Seasonal And Pandemic Depression
Lindsey Hornickel, a 25-year-old in Louisville, felt fine at the beginning of the pandemic. Although she has long experienced depression, Hornickel says, her mental state didn’t worsen immediately. In fact, she began overcompensating, taking on more work and pushing worries out of her mind. “I kept saying, ‘It’s fine, it’s fine,’ ” she says. Until, suddenly, it wasn’t. Over the summer, Hornickel’s mental health nosedived. “I went through a depressive swing. It was unbearable,” she says. Eventually, Hornickel told her roommate she wanted to die. (Cirruzzo, 10/27)
