A team of researchers from the Cleveland Clinic have been looking at COVID-19 and how it impacts the brain. Long haul COVID patients have reported ongoing neurological and cognitive issues, but very little is known why this happens. Some studies have indicated that COVID impacts brain cells while others have stated that there is no evidence that this is the case.
To better understand just how COVID impacts the brain, researchers looked at data sets from those with Alzheimer’s and those with COVID-19 and used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to try and get a better understanding of what exactly happens in the brain and how it can be treated.
They found that the virus doesn’t target the brain directly, but that it does impact genes and proteins and how they communicate with brain cells.
This new study is important both for COVID-19 research and for research into Alzheimer’s. Identifying causal links between these two things can help researchers better understand the relationships between various diseases, and thus take more effective steps to prevent and treat diseases early on. Additionally, it will likely help doctors to more effectively treat COVID related cognitive impairment, helping patients that are suffering from this get their lives back on track more quickly.
These past several months have been hard on everyone, but the good news is that COVID doesn’t seem to be quite as prevalent as it was a year ago. Between effective social distancing and mask wearing, along with the easy access to vaccinations, our communities are a lot safer than they were before. Hopefully, this continues to improve in our communities.
The research team published their findings in the journal, Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy.
Senior care can become a lot more difficult when there are other health problems in place. COVID has certainly been one of those health problems recently, but Alzheimer’s and other illnesses have long made providing high quality senior care difficult. Sometimes, families can make these adjustments on their own and continue to provide a high quality of care without major changes to their lifestyle. But sometimes more help is needed. Having a senior care service on your side can help make this a lot easier.
Senior care will look different based upon your unique set of needs. Sometimes, a family will require major intervention and their loved one will need the help and support that a nursing home provides. But most of the time, something this major isn’t what’s needed. Most of the time, a family just needs a little bit of help here and there. This is where something like in-home care can be a huge help. In-home care can give you the structure and assistance needed to keep your loved one happy, healthy, and safe, without the intrusiveness of relocation. Your loved one can get all the help they need without moving.
Senior care has changed over the last year and a half. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t help your family. If you’d like to learn more about how in-home care might help your family better care for an older loved one, please give us a call.
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