Psychomotor and neurofunctional aspects after COVID-19

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Infectious Diseases
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has led to millions of deaths globally.
• Neurological manifestations following COVID-19 infection are increasingly recognized, despite the virus primarily affecting the respiratory system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement specific questionnaires and evaluations to identify and profile neurofunctional sequelae in post-COVID-19 patients.
• To assess the impact of COVID-19 on cognitive, memory, attention, concentration, and psychomotor functions.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated 184 post-COVID-19 subjects and 30 controls using specific questionnaires and psychomotor/neurofunctional tests.
• Assessed epidemiological and psychomotor aspects, including cognitive function, memory, attention, and concentration intensity.

Main Results:

• COVID-19 patients exhibited significant impairments in fine motor skills, balance, episodic memory, verbal fluency, and executive function (clock test) compared to controls.
• Common symptoms included loss of smell/taste and headaches; increased synkinesis was also observed.
• These neurofunctional deficits were evident even in participants without pre-existing conditions or hospitalization.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 infection leads to notable psychomotor, neurofunctional, and memory impairments, affecting even young and healthy individuals.
• The identified neurological sequelae necessitate the integration of these findings into rehabilitation strategies for COVID-19 patients.