COVID-19 ‘does not infect the brain’ but can still have serious neurological impact
Coronavirus probably does not directly infect the brain but can still inflict significant neurological damage, new research has revealed.
The study into SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is the largest and most detailed brain autopsy report published to date in the wake of the pandemic, and suggests that the neurological changes often seen in these patients may result from inflammation triggered by the virus in other parts of the body or in the brain's blood vessels. "There's been considerable debate about whether this virus infects the brain, but we were unable to find any signs of virus inside brain cells of more than 40 COVID-19 patients," says Professor James E. Goldman, from the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Emergency workers supported through trauma by music therapy
A groundbreaking project which uses music therapy to help emergency workers recover from traumatic experiences has launched in a first-of-its-kind in the UK.
The Blue Light Symphony Orchestra (BLSO), in collaboration with Chroma, has started delivering music therapy to three groups of emergency workers.
Last year, BLSO was awarded £10,000 funding from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund, to pay for group music therapy sessions for frontline men and women from the Police, Ambulance and Fire services in Surrey and Sussex.
During the 12-week pilot program, one-hour group therapy sessions will offer improvised musical experiences and verbal reflection on those experiences, active drumming with entrained rhythm, leading and following and music to support mindfulness and grounding techniques.
‘Rehab should be about client goals’
By engaging clients in goal-centred rehab, which begins at the earliest stage possible, strong outcomes can be achieved in both their physical and mental health, says Kate Sheehan. NR Times meets the occupational therapist whose person-centred approach was recently seen in ITV’s Finding Derek documentary, in her work with the family of TV presenter Kate Garraway
The photo of the woman skiing with her daughter is one Kate Sheehan will always remember. “Got there. Thank you,” read the accompanying message.
Mental health issues ‘may stem from childhood cognitive problems’
Children who experience cognitive problems including low attention, poor memory or lack of inhibition may later have mental health issues as teenagers and young adults, new research has found. Analysing data from 13,988 individuals born in the UK between April 1991 and December 1992, the study discovered a number of key and specific links between childhood cognitive problems and mental health issues in later life, such as:
- Deficits in sustained attention in eight-year-olds precede development of borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms at 11-12 years and depression at 17-18 years;
- Difficulties with inhibition in eight-year-olds were associated with psychotic experiences at 17-18 years;
- Working memory deficits in 10-year-olds were related to hypomania at 22-23 years.
Impact of COVID-19 on brain to be investigated
The effects of COVID-19 on the brain are to be examined in a new groundbreaking study involving all four UK nations.
The COVID-19 Clinical Neuroscience Study (COVID-CNS) will look at 800 UK patients who were admitted to hospital with COVID-19 and had neurological or neuropsychiatric complications, to understand how these problems occur and develop strategies to prevent and treat them. The first-of-its-kind project involves more than a dozen research centres from across the UK and forms an integral part of the National Institute of Health Research BioResource, which provides research infrastructure to speed up clinical research and clinical trials. COVID-CNS has been awarded £2.3m by UK Research and Innovation and the Department of Health and Social Care to help advance its work, which is led by the University of Liverpool in collaboration with King’s College London.
Loneliness in lockdown – how have survivors been impacted?
Loneliness in lockdown among brain injury survivors is the subject of a new research study which hopes to shine a light on the ongoing issue of isolation.
While loneliness for the wider population was something rarely previously experienced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, for those living with a brain injury, the everyday reality is often very different. And through this new study, researchers hope to discover the true effect the pandemic and its necessity for survivors to stay at home - and in some instances shield for several months - has had and how their protective factors have impacted on that.
Temporary concussion substitutes ‘must be introduced by June 1’
Temporary concussion substitutes must be included in the current trials [...]
Review launched into end-of-life stroke care
End-of-life care after stroke and how current practice can be [...]
