Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology (Nov 2022)

Cognitive dysfunction 1 year after COVID‐19: evidence from eye tracking

  • Federico Carbone,
  • Laura Zamarian,
  • Verena Rass,
  • Stefanie Bair,
  • Marcel Ritter,
  • Ronny Beer,
  • Philipp Mahlknecht,
  • Beatrice Heim,
  • Victoria Limmert,
  • Marina Peball,
  • Philipp Ellmerer,
  • Alois Josef Schiefecker,
  • Mario Kofler,
  • Anna Lindner,
  • Bettina Pfausler,
  • Lauma Putnina,
  • Philipp Kindl,
  • Judith Löffler‐Ragg,
  • Stefan Kiechl,
  • Klaus Seppi,
  • Atbin Djamshidian,
  • Raimund Helbok

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/acn3.51675
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 11
pp. 1826 – 1831

Abstract

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Abstract Increasing evidence suggests persistent cognitive dysfunction after COVID‐19. In this cross‐sectional study, frontal lobe function was assessed 12 months after the acute phase of the disease, using tailored eye tracking assessments. Individuals who recovered from COVID‐19 made significantly more errors in all eye tracking tasks compared to age/sex‐matched healthy controls. Furthermore, patients who were treated as inpatients performed worse compared to outpatients and controls. Our results show impaired inhibitory cortical control in individuals who recovered from COVID‐19. The association between disease severity and its sequelae may contribute to a better understanding of post‐COVID‐19 cognitive function.