Preliminary Findings on Cognitive Dysfunction in University-Educated Patients After Mild COVID-19 Disease

Abstract

Objective: To investigate cognitive functioning in patients with higher education having post COVID-19 condition. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Outpatient rehabilitation clinic. Participants: Patients (N=38; mean age, 48.5y; 71% women) at the Cognitive Post COVID-19 Clinic at Danderyd University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, who sought health care because of self-experienced cognitive problems. All had at least 4 years of university education and an initially mild infection (ie, most were not hospital admitted, none were admitted to intensive care). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Cognitive test performance assessed with a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery including Information, Matrix Reasoning, Coding, and Digit Span from Wechsler's Adult Intelligence Scale-IV, Buschke Selective Reminding Test, Rey Complex Figure Test, Ruff 2&7, Color-Word Interference Test, Verbal Fluency, and Trail Making Test. The mean time between the infection and the assessment was 18 months. Results: Cognitive deficits were evident on tests of verbal learning and memory (Buschke Selective Reminding Test) and selective attention (Ruff 2&7). Approximately 50% of the participants had scores lower than 1 SD below the mean in the norm group on the measures of verbal learning and memory. When estimated premorbid cognitive functioning was accounted for, deficits were suggested in most cognitive domains. Conclusions: Post COVID-19 condition seems to be associated with cognitive deficits, even in patients with high education and an initially mild infection.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Neuropsychology
• Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome
• Rehabilitation