Cognitive inhibition deficit in long COVID-19: An exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Infectious Diseases
• Psychiatry

Background:

• COVID-19 is increasingly linked to persistent neurocognitive symptoms.
• Understanding the prevalence and trajectory of these symptoms is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cognitive impairments 1-16 months post-COVID-19.
• To assess changes in neuropsychological functions over time.
• To identify predictors of long-term cognitive deficits.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design with four sub-samples over 16 months.
• Phone interviews, sociodemographic/clinical questionnaires, and standardized neurocognitive/psychological tests.
• Screening for cognitive symptoms, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and autonomy.

Main Results:

• 19.4% of participants had diminished cognitive efficiency; 56% showed executive dysfunction.
• 38.8% had impaired cognitive flexibility and inhibition.
• Depression, hospital, and ICU admission duration were linked to inhibition deficits.

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 can cause long-lasting inhibition deficits, though other cognitive functions may improve.
• Severity of infection may influence the interplay between depression and executive functions.
• Cognitive screening is recommended for all COVID-19 patients due to the prevalence of inhibition deficits.