Anxiety in lockdown aged some over-50s mentally by six years

OVER-50S who suffered from worsening anxiety and depression during the pandemic aged mentally by the equivalent of six years, according to research.

Those who were worst hit in the first year of the pandemic scored the poorest in tests on attention span and memory.

The University of Exeter and King’s College London used data from an online study of more than 6,000 people who regularly filled in questionnaires and performed cognitive tests.

The study aims to help researchers understand what factors are involved in how the brain ages and what can be done to keep minds healthy in later life.

Dr Helen Brooker, who led the research, said: “We found those who were more anxious and depressed during 2019-2020 saw their short-term memory and ability to focus worsen by the equivalent of five to six years of ... natural ageing.

“It’s likely that key factors were the unprecedented impact of worsening mental health caused by widespread anxiety over the pandemic, and long periods of lockdown.”

The findings indicate that a 60-yearold who suffered with their mental health in the first 12 months of Covid would have the mental age of a 66-yearold one year later.

The study, presented yesterday at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease conference, revealed the largest dip in memory and attention were among those with moderate or higher levels of anxiety and depression. Prof Dag Aarsland, from King’s College, said: “We had five years of mental health reports and online scores in brain tests, which enabled us to pinpoint the impact of the pandemic. We will continue to monitor how this plays ... so our insights can help us fully understand the impact of this pandemic and help us prepare for future events on the same scale.”

Prof Dame Til Wykes, head of the School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences at King’s College, said: “Mental stimulation and physical exercise are important for maintaining cognitive skills and lockdown reduced the opportunities for both, especially in older people who were told to shield.

“The Protect study probably underestimates effects of this reduced stimulation as participants had the internet and were engaged with the study.”