A recent study conducted by Northwestern Medicine has revealed that COVID-19 vaccinations, while effective in preventing severe complications, hospitalizations, and death, do not appear to reduce the neurological symptoms associated with long COVID. The findings, published in Brain Communications, suggest that vaccination prior to infection does not alleviate the neurological manifestations of long COVID, including symptoms such as brain fog, numbness, dizziness, headache, and intense fatigue.
Dr. Igor Koralnik, chief of neuroinfectious diseases and global neurology at Northwestern Medicine, who oversees the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic, led the study. He explained, “We hypothesized that vaccines may also affect the neurological manifestations of subsequent long COVID. However, our findings show that vaccination prior to infection does not reduce these symptoms.”
The study analyzed 1,300 patients from the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic, who experienced neurological symptoms of long COVID between May 2020 and March 2023. Among them, 200 patients had been hospitalized for severe COVID-19, while the remaining patients had mild infections that did not require hospitalization. The study sought to assess the impact of prior vaccination on the long-term neurological effects of COVID-19.
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Key findings from the study included:
- No significant difference in neurological symptoms between patients who were vaccinated before infection and those who were infected before receiving the vaccine.
- Impaired quality of life for patients, particularly in cognitive function, fatigue, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression, with no significant improvement for those vaccinated prior to infection.
- Patients performed worse on cognitive tests compared to the general population, with no distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
Dr. Koralnik emphasized the severity of long COVID, noting its potential to affect multiple organ systems and significantly impair daily functioning. “Because vaccination does not reduce the neurological manifestations of long COVID, it is crucial to continue efforts to protect communities from both acute COVID-19 and the potential long-term effects,” he stated.
The Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic, which has treated over 2,800 long COVID patients from 44 states, remains a key resource for individuals suffering from long COVID symptoms. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit nm.org or call 312.695.7950.
To read the full study, click here.
