How Cognitive Profiles Evolve in Long-Term COVID-19 Patients with Cognitive Issues: A 1-Year Study

What is it about?

In this study, we investigated how cognitive difficulties change over time in people who experience post COVID-19 symptoms. We followed 57 individuals who reported problems with thinking and memory about 6 months after their COVID-19 infection and then again 15 months later. Mainly, we wanted to understand if cognitive issues persist and whether factors like hospitalization during infection affect these difficulties. Participants underwent various tests to measure different areas of cognitive function and completed surveys on fatigue, mood, and overall health. Our study revealed that cognitive performance on individual tests did not improve significantly over time. However, there were some positive changes: attention and executive functions (like planning and problem-solving) improved, while memory issues were slower to improve. People reported feeling better about their overall health at the follow-up. We also found that individuals who were hospitalized during their COVID-19 infection tended to have worse cognitive performance, especially in timed tasks involving short-term and working memory. In summary, cognitive challenges often persist in people with post COVID-19 symptoms, though there is some improvement in large-scale attention and executive functions. The impact of being hospitalized with COVID-19 may contribute to more noticeable cognitive problems later on.

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Photo by Bhautik Patel on Unsplash

Photo by Bhautik Patel on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is unique and valuable because it offers a comprehensive, detailed look at how cognitive function changes over time in those with Long COVID. In contrast to brief assessments of cognition that lump multiple processes into one score, we were able to provide a more nuanced picture by testing multiple cognitive abilities (e.g., thinking, memory, language, attention) and seeing how they evolve over time in people experiencing persistent COVID symptoms.