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Cognitive Trajectory of COVID-19 and Long COVID in Adult Survivors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

K. Vakani ,
M. Ratto ,
A. Sandford-James ,
E. Antonova  and
V. Kumari
K. Vakani*
Affiliation:
Brunel University London, Centre For Cognitive Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
M. Ratto
Affiliation:
Beingwell, Thinkingwell, Sheffield, United Kingdom
A. Sandford-James
Affiliation:
Beingwell, Thinkingwell, Sheffield, United Kingdom
E. Antonova
Affiliation:
Brunel University London, Centre For Cognitive Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
V. Kumari
Affiliation:
Brunel University London, Centre For Cognitive Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Cognitive functioning and psychological well-being are considered negatively affected by COVID-19. An estimated 15%-40% of COVID-19 patients report disrupted cognitive performance. Higher rates of anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances are also reported post infection.

Objectives

We examined the profile of cognitive changes in a group of adults with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, compared to those without a COVID-19 diagnosis (cross-sectional between-subjects investigation); and for a subgroup, compared to their pre-COVID-19 cognitive function (longitudinal within-subjects investigation).

Methods

One hundred and twenty-one adults (57 with no known history of COVID-19; 64 with confirmed COVID-19; 17/64 with long COVID symptoms) were assessed online for psychological well-being and cognitive function (attention, processing speed, working memory, episodic memory and executive function). Pre-COVID-19 cognitive data were available for 56 of 121 adults (24 adults with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19; 22 with no known history of COVID-19) through the MyCognition database.

Results

The COVID-19 group showed reduced processing speed in both cross-sectional and longitudinal investigations, and also showed significant attentional impairment when examined cross-sectionally. Five long COVID symptoms (abdominal pain, chest pain, sore eyes/conjunctivitis, sore throat and vomiting/nausea) were associated with reduced performance in multiple cognitive domains. Higher levels of depression and anxiety were also present in the COVID-19 group but these symptoms were mostly unrelated to cognitive performance.

Conclusions

COVID-19 survivors, especially those with long COVID symptoms, are very likely to experience cognitive disruption. Measures need to be implemented to support their cognitive recovery in addition to the physical recovery.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

cognitive functionCovid-19Long COVID
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S133
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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