COVID-19 has been linked to a significantly increased risk for new-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a new study suggests. The study of more than 6 million people aged 65 years or older found a 50%-80% risk for AD in the year after COVID-19; the risk was especially high for women older than 85 years. However, the … Read more
A new report shines a light on the toll the pandemic and other stressors have taken on the mental health of US children and adolescents over the last 6 years. The report shows a dramatic increase in use of acute care services for depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, especially among teens and preteens. … Read more
People across the world have experienced elevated mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, with major differences seen across several countries and continents, according to a new report. North Americans reported more symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder, whereas Europeans had more insomnia and Latin Americans had more psychological distress. Anxiety and depression … Read more
Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Experiencing psychological distress prior to becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 is tied to an increased risk for post-COVID conditions often called “long COVID,” new research suggests. In an analysis of almost 55,000 adult participants in three ongoing studies, having depression, anxiety, worry, … Read more
A new study provides strong support for permanent adoption of expanded telehealth services and flexible prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (OUD), experts say. Results showed that expanded access to telehealth services, authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to more Medicare beneficiaries with OUD entering treatment and staying in treatment, as well as to … Read more
The passage of time felt altered for many people during the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from difficulty keeping track of the days of the week to feeling that the hours either crawled by or sped up, new research suggests. Results showed the sense of present focus, blurring weekdays and weekends together, and uncertainly about the future … Read more
Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. We live in particularly stressful times, and some people turn to alcohol to cope with challenges, from the COVID-19 pandemic to any number of personal stressors. And the hits just keep coming, as it seems like stressful infectious disease news keeps … Read more
Regular smokers in Denmark purchased fewer cigarettes during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic than they had previously, according to research published earlier this month in Communications Medicine. Dr Sally Sadoff “We think of this as a potential bright spot from the pandemic,” said Sally Sadoff, PhD, an economist at the University of California, … Read more
SAN DIEGO – Even after recovery of an acute COVID-19 infection, some patients experience extended or even long-term symptoms that can range from mild to debilitating. Some of these symptoms are neurological: headaches, brain fog, cognitive impairment, loss of taste or smell, and even cerebrovascular complications such stroke. There are even hints that COVID-19 infection … Read more
Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Loss of smell, not disease severity, predicts persistent cognitive impairment 1 year after SARS-CoV-2 infection, preliminary results of new research suggest. The findings provide important insight into the long-term cognitive impact of COVID-19, study investigator Gabriela Gonzalez-Alemán, PhD, professor at Pontifical … Read more