The pandemic accelerated brain aging even in those who did not have COVID-19

Pandemic accelerates brain aging even without COVID-19 infection – sensational discovery by British scientists. A study by the University of Nottingham, published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, reveals the unexpected impact of the global crisis on our brain.

Scientists conducted a large-scale analysis of about 15 thousand MRI brain scans of people of European origin from the UK Biobank. The results were astonishing: during the pandemic period, brain aging processes accelerated by an average of five and a half months. Notably, such changes were observed even in those who had never contracted coronavirus. To process the enormous amount of data, researchers used advanced artificial intelligence technologies.

"We recorded accelerated brain aging in people who had no confirmed COVID. This is likely related to prolonged stress, social isolation, and instability caused by the pandemic," explained one of the study's authors, neurologist Ali-Reza Mohammadi-Nejad.

The researchers emphasized that the accelerated aging was not accompanied by cognitive deterioration and could be reversible. According to them, large-scale social upheavals can have a noticeable impact on the brain, even if a person remains physically healthy.