The pandemic has changed your brain — here’s how to overcome that
Brain training
The good thing about the brain, however, is that it is incredibly plastic, which means it is changeable and can compensate for damage. Even serious conditions such as memory loss and depression can be improved by doing things that alter the brain function and its chemistry.
Our paperlooks at promising solutions to combat symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression – in COVID-19 patients and others.
We already know that exercise andmindfulness training– techniques that help us stay in the present – are helpful when it comes to combating brain stress. Indeed, studies have shown beneficial functional and structural changes in the brain’sprefrontal cortex(involved in planning and decision making), hippocampus, andamygdalafollowing mindfulness training.
One study showedan enhanced density of grey matter– the tissue containing most of the brain’s cell bodies and a key component of the central nervous system – in the left hippocampus after eight weeks of training (in comparison to controls).
Importantly, these are all regions that are impacted by the COVID-19 virus. Additionally, gamified cognitive training can also help improveattention,memory function, and increase motivation. Those who have persistent or severe mental health symptoms may require clinical evaluation by a psychologist or psychiatrist. In such cases, there are pharmacological and psychological treatments available, such as antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy.
Given that many countries haven’t completely come out of lockdown yet, and there are long delays in accessing healthcare, modern techniques such as wearable devices (activity trackers) and digital platforms (mobile apps), that can be easily integrated into daily life, are promising.
For example, activity trackers can monitor things like heart rate and sleeping patterns, indicating when the wearer may benefit from activities such as meditation, exercise, or extra sleep. There are also appsthat can help you reduce your stress levelsyourself.
These techniques are likely to be beneficial to everyoneand may help us to better promote cognitive resilience and mental health – preparing us for future critical events such as global pandemics. As a society, we need to anticipate future challenges to our brain health, cognition, and wellbeing. We should be utilizing these techniques in schools to promote lifelong resilience starting at an early age.
This article is republished fromThe ConversationbyBarbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology,University of Cambridge;Christelle Langley, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cognitive Neuroscience,University of Cambridge, andDeniz Vatansever, Junior Principal Investigator,Fudan Universityunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
Story byThe Conversation
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