People over 50 lost brain power during pandemic, research suggests
BOSTON - Older adults may have lost brain power during the COVID-19 pandemic, even if they were not infected.
A team in the U.K. analyzed neuropsychology data from 3,142 people aged 50 and older before the pandemic and during its first and second years.
They found a significant worsening of executive function and working memory in the first year of the pandemic.
In the second year of the pandemic, memory problems persisted.
People with memory issues before the pandemic experienced the worst decline, and alcohol use, loneliness, and depression may have also played a role.
