COGNITIVE RESERVE IN PATIENTS AFTER CORONAVIRUS INFECTION.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Infectious Diseases
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Persistent cognitive dysfunction after COVID-19 is increasingly recognized.
• The role of cognitive reserve in modifying these neurocognitive outcomes requires further investigation, especially concerning disease severity and lifestyle.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine cognitive reserve characteristics in individuals post-SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• To determine the influence of cognitive reserve on the severity and nature of post-COVID cognitive impairments.

Main Methods:

• 247 COVID-19 survivors and 50 controls were assessed for cognitive reserve using the Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire (CRQ) and other cognitive tests.
• Premorbid lifestyle, occupational complexity, disease severity, and inflammatory markers were recorded.
• Multivariate linear regression analyzed factors associated with global cognitive performance (Montreal Cognitive Assessment score at 12 months).

Main Results:

• Post-COVID patients showed lower CRQ scores, primarily due to reduced occupational complexity and less cognitively active lifestyles.
• Cognitive impairments in post-COVID patients affected executive functions, attention, and processing speed.
• Higher CRQ scores, occupational complexity, and physical activity were linked to better cognitive outcomes, while disease severity and inflammation correlated with poorer outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Post-COVID cognitive impairment is associated with reduced utilization of cognitive reserve, not a loss of capacity.
• Severe COVID-19 disease particularly impacts the engagement of reserve mechanisms.
• Preserved premorbid cognitive reserve does not fully prevent post-COVID cognitive deficits.