Post-COVID Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults: Implications of Symptom Severity and Cardiovascular Comorbidities

We examined the relationship between COVID-19 symptom severity, memory, and executive function in older adults using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Cognitive function was assessed with the Immediate and Delayed Word Recall Test and the Clock Drawing Test. COVID-19 symptom severity was categorized as none, mild, or moderate to severe, and associations were analyzed using mixed-effects ordinal logistic regression models. Moderate-to-severe COVID-19 symptoms were associated with an increased likelihood of poor executive function performance (OR = 1.507), an effect further compounded by heart disease (OR = 1.942). In addition, mild COVID-19 symptoms combined with stroke elevated this risk more than thirteenfold. These results indicate significant associations between COVID-19 symptom severity and executive function impairment, with cardiovascular conditions intensifying the effect. The study highlights the importance of integrating cognitive and cardiovascular screening in older adults post-COVID-19 to mitigate the potential risk of long-term cognitive decline.