Lockdown caused ‘rapid’ decline in brain health for over-50s, study finds

Michael Searles
Thu, 2 November 2023 

Experts analysed the brain function of more than 3,000 Britons before and during the pandemic

Lockdown caused “rapid” and “lasting” deterioration in the brain health of over-50s, a landmark study has found.

Experts analysed the brain function of more than 3,000 Britons before and during the pandemic, with results published in the Lancet Healthy Longevity journal.

In the latest revelation on the impact of lockdowns, the study found people’s cognitive functions, such as their memory and verbal reasoning skills (ability to understand and draw conclusions from information), declined 50 per cent faster during the first year of the pandemic than they had in the year before.

Researchers from the University of Exeter said consecutive lockdowns resulting in increased loneliness, depression and alcohol use, as well as reduced physical activity, were to blame.

Prof Anne Corbett, Protect study lead at the University of Exeter, said: “Our findings suggest that lockdowns and other restrictions we experienced during the pandemic have had a real lasting impact on brain health in people aged 50 or over, even after the lockdowns ended.”

The 3,142 participants from the Protect study had an average age of 67.

They were routinely tested on their ability to memorise sequences of numbers, search for a target among other objects, pair and associate words, and their ability to interpret phrases, among other brain-functioning metrics.
Deteriorating faster

It found that the speed that the participants’ cognitive functions deteriorated had become significantly faster between March 2020 and February 2021 than expected, and continued to do so, albeit at a slightly slower pace, in the second year after the pandemic.

The scientists said this was worse among those who already had some form of cognitive decline, and those who had previously contracted Covid-19, but had still accelerated faster than it should have among those without either.

The researchers said the brain’s executive function – ability to plan, manage, multi-task and think flexibly – and its working memory, had declined by an average of 0.61 and 0.64 per cent in the year before the pandemic, but this accelerated by 49 and 55 per cent respectively during the pandemic.

It means there is a significant increase in the risk of developing a condition caused by dementia, such as Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia.

Dr Susan Mitchell, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said the study “demonstrates how the profound lifestyle shifts triggered by the lockdown restrictions might have influenced the nation’s brain health”.

“It underlines the fact that there are steps we can all take to protect the health of our brain. Our own analysis has shown that just 2 per cent of people say they’re doing all they can to optimise their brain health,” Dr Mitchell said.

“While our genetics play an important role in the health of our brains as we age, we know that a range of health and lifestyle factors can impact our brain health. This study found that some of these factors, such as less exercise, were worsened during the pandemic – with knock-on consequences.”
‘Self-harming and suicide’

It is the latest in a series of revelations on the longer-term impacts of lockdowns that have come to light through research and the Covid inquiry.

Caroline Abrahams, Age UK director, told the hearing last month that lockdowns had caused “much higher rates of depression and self-harming and suicide” among elderly people who had suffered “a great loss of confidence”.

Previous studies have also highlighted the increase in harm to children’s mental health and development, while also causing increased levels of obesity.

Prof Corbett said: “Our findings also highlight the need for policy-makers to consider the wider health impacts of restrictions like lockdowns when planning for a future pandemic response.”

Prof Dag Aarsland, head of department in old age psychiatry at King’s College London, said: “This study adds to the knowledge of the long-standing health-consequences of Covid-19, in particular for vulnerable people such as older people with mild memory problems. We know a great deal of the risks for further decline, and now can add Covid-19 to this list.”