A new study suggests that COVID-19 may increase some patients' chances of developing dementia.

A study by the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research found that patients exposed to psychotropic medication before getting infected with COVID-19 were almost three times more likely to develop dementia. This includes most medicines used to treat disorders like bipolar disorder, anxiety or depression.

The study looked at about 1,800 older adults who were hospitalized with COVID-19 at Northwell Health. One year later, over 12% of patients developed dementia.

Geriatric hospitalist Liron Sinvani says some patients who may have not developed dementia for another 20 or 30 years could be triggered by the infection, causing the syndrome to occur more quickly.

Sinvani suggests getting loved ones on a routine and back into socialization. He also says to keep an eye out for early signs of dementia, including forgetfulness, personality changes or increased anxiety.