Executive functioning in subjects post COVID-19 infection in Mexico

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Conflicting evidence exists on COVID-19's impact on executive functions and the frontal lobe.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for long-term patient recovery and neurological health.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the specific cognitive domains affected by mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate executive functions in individuals who recovered from mild COVID-19.
• To identify specific deficits in cognitive functions post-SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• To explore potential neurophysiological alterations in the prefrontal cortex.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 60 individuals with mild COVID-19 history was assessed.
• Cognitive functions were evaluated using the Trail Making Test Form B, Stroop Color and Word Test, and Modified Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (M-WCST).
• Results were compared against pre-pandemic historical controls from the Mexican population.

Main Results:

• The post-COVID-19 group demonstrated significantly lower scores exclusively on the M-WCST.
• No widespread impairments in other assessed executive functions were observed.
• Deficits were concentrated in tasks measuring cognitive flexibility, mediated by the prefrontal cortex.

Conclusions:

• Individuals recovered from mild COVID-19 do not exhibit broad executive function impairments.
• Specific deficits on the M-WCST suggest potential neurophysiological alterations in the prefrontal cortex.
• Findings highlight that even non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients may experience executive function deficits, necessitating further research.