The flu may be more than a respiratory disease. A new study showed it may also cause neurological symptoms. Research in the Journal of Neuroscience found that two different strains can cause changes to the structure and function of a part of the brain that controls learning and memory. The results on mice indicated the changes last for a month after a flu infection.
People with a certain type of hearing loss may be more likely to experience memory loss as well. A study presented to the American Academy of Neurology tracked 1,600 people. Those with age-related hearing loss, caused by the brain’s inability to process sound, were twice as likely to have cognitive impairment.
Doctors are also concerned about how depression may affect the brain. A study in The Lancet Psychiatry found people who suffer with untreated depression for more than a decade have significantly more brain inflammation. Researchers said the findings suggested doctors may need to re-think the treatment options for long-term depression to address inflammation as well.
Sources :
1 – Journal of Neuroscience
2 – American Academy of Neurology’s 70th Annual Meeting
3 – The Lancet Psychiatry
