A Study Found Mental confusion or Delirium Is Associated With Covid-19

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Immunology and Immunotherapy said, delirium or mental confusion accompanied by fever could be an early symptom of Covid-19. Elderly patients are more prone to this. As per the study, along with loss of senses of taste and smell, and headaches that happen in the days prior to the manifestation of coughing and breathing difficulties, delirium also has found among some patients.

What is Delirium?

Delirium is sudden severe confusion due to rapid changes in brain function that occur with physical or mental illness. Delirium is most often caused by physical or mental illness and is usually temporary and reversible. Many disorders cause delirium. Often, these do not allow the brain to get oxygen or other substances. They may also cause dangerous chemicals (toxins) to build up in the brain. Delirium is common in the intensive care unit (ICU), especially in older adults.

Researchers said, certain signs of confusion may be an indication of infection. The novel coronavirus also affects the central nervous system and produces neurocognitive alterations (like headaches and delirium, as well as psychotic episodes).

As per the study, there are three possible causes of how coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 affects the brain point such as hypoxia or neuronal oxygen deficiency, inflammation of brain tissue due to cytokine storm and the fact that the virus has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier to directly invade the brain.

Researchers said, "The evidence of hypoxia-related brain damage has been observed in autopsies carried out on patients who have died from the infection, and it has been possible to isolate the virus from the cerebral tissue". "Delirium, cognitive deficits and behavioural anomalies are most likely to be the result of systemic inflammation of the organ and a state of hypoxia, which also causes the neuronal tissue to become inflamed and cause damage in areas such as the hippocampus". "This is related with the cognitive dysfunctions and behavioral alterations of the patients who are suffering from delirium".