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Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinically Relevant Executive Functions Tests Performance after COVID-19.
Boris B Velichkovsky1,2, Anna Y Razvaliaeva3, Alena A Khlebnikova2
1Research Institute for Brain Development and Peak Performance, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow 117198, Russia.
Behavioural Neurology
|February 23, 2023
Summary
COVID-19 can impair executive functions (EF), leading to brain fog. While impairments are common, they are typically temporary and not severe for most individuals recovering from the virus.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Prolonged health effects of COVID-19 on cognition are recognized, but specific cognitive functions affected remain unclear.
- Post-COVID 'brain fog' shares similarities with chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment ('chemofog'), suggesting potential executive function deficits.
Approach:
- A systematic literature search identified six studies with 14 effect sizes to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on executive functions.
- A narrative synthesis of six additional studies without comparison groups supplemented the quantitative findings.
Key Points:
- A pooled effect size (d = -0.35) indicated a small to medium impairment in executive functions following COVID-19.
- The majority of observed executive function impairments were transient and not severe.
Conclusions:
- Executive functions are demonstrably impaired in individuals experiencing 'brain fog' after COVID-19.
- Understanding these specific cognitive impacts can aid in elucidating the mechanisms of long COVID and developing supportive interventions.
