Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (Oct 2022)

Neuropsychological impairment in post-COVID condition individuals with and without cognitive complaints

  • Mar Ariza,
  • Mar Ariza,
  • Mar Ariza,
  • Neus Cano,
  • Neus Cano,
  • Bàrbara Segura,
  • Bàrbara Segura,
  • Bàrbara Segura,
  • Bàrbara Segura,
  • Ana Adan,
  • Ana Adan,
  • Núria Bargalló,
  • Núria Bargalló,
  • Núria Bargalló,
  • Xavier Caldú,
  • Xavier Caldú,
  • Xavier Caldú,
  • Anna Campabadal,
  • Anna Campabadal,
  • Anna Campabadal,
  • Maria Angeles Jurado,
  • Maria Angeles Jurado,
  • Maria Angeles Jurado,
  • Maria Mataró,
  • Maria Mataró,
  • Maria Mataró,
  • Roser Pueyo,
  • Roser Pueyo,
  • Roser Pueyo,
  • Roser Sala-Llonch,
  • Roser Sala-Llonch,
  • Roser Sala-Llonch,
  • Roser Sala-Llonch,
  • Cristian Barrué,
  • Javier Bejar,
  • Claudio Ulises Cortés,
  • NAUTILUS-Project Collaborative Group,
  • Carme Junqué,
  • Carme Junqué,
  • Carme Junqué,
  • Carme Junqué,
  • Maite Garolera,
  • Maite Garolera,
  • Vanesa Arauzo,
  • Jose A. Bernia,
  • Marta Balague-Marmaña,
  • Berta Valles-Pauls,
  • Jesús Caballero,
  • Anna Carnes-Vendrell,
  • Gerard Piñol-Ripoll,
  • Ester Gonzalez-Aguado,
  • Carme Tayó-Juli,
  • Eva Forcadell-Ferreres,
  • Silvia Reverte-Vilarroya,
  • Susanna Forné,
  • Anna Bartes-Plan,
  • Jordina Muñoz-Padros,
  • Jose A. Muñoz-Moreno,
  • Anna Prats-Paris,
  • Inmaculada Rico,
  • Nuria Sabé,
  • Marta Almeria,
  • Laura Casas,
  • Maria José Ciudad,
  • Anna Ferré,
  • Tamar Garzon,
  • Manuela Lozano,
  • Marta Cullell,
  • Sonia Vega,
  • Sílvia Alsina,
  • Maria J. Maldonado-Belmonte,
  • Susana Vazquez-Rivera,
  • Eva Baillès,
  • Sandra Navarro

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.1029842
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

Read online

One of the most prevalent symptoms of post-COVID condition is cognitive impairment, which results in a significant degree of disability and low quality of life. In studies with large sample sizes, attention, memory, and executive function were reported as long-term cognitive symptoms. This study aims to describe cognitive dysfunction in large post-COVID condition individuals, compare objective neuropsychological performance in those post-COVID condition individuals with and without cognitive complaints, and identify short cognitive exams that can differentiate individuals with post-COVID symptoms from controls. To address these aims, the Nautilus project was started in June 2021. During the first year, we collected 428 participants’ data, including 319 post-COVID and 109 healthy controls (18–65 years old) from those who underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery for cognitive assessment. Scores on tests assessing global cognition, learning and long-term memory, processing speed, language and executive functions were significantly worse in the post-COVID condition group than in healthy controls. Montreal Cognitive Assessment, digit symbol test, and phonetic verbal fluency were significant in the binomial logistic regression model and could effectively distinguish patients from controls with good overall sensitivity and accuracy. Neuropsychological test results did not differ between those with and without cognitive complaints. Our research suggests that patients with post-COVID conditions experience significant cognitive impairment and that routine tests like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, digit symbol, and phonetic verbal fluency test might identify cognitive impairment. Thus, the administration of these tests would be helpful for all patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of whether cognitive complaints are present or absent.Study registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifiers NCT05307549 and NCT05307575.

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