Press Release
Thursday, March 16, 2023
Results of a Study on the Frequency of Cognitive Impairment After COVID-19 Infection, with Persistent Inhibition Deficits
A New Brunswick research team has conducted a study to determine the frequency of cognitive impairment after COVID-19 infection and to identify factors that may predict long-term cognitive deficits.
This study was conducted on 134 patients over a 16-month period by Dr. Ludivine Witkowski's team from the Vitalité Health Network and Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick. Questionnaires were administered, followed by standardized tests and questionnaires assessing cognitive symptoms, anxiety, depression, fatigue and autonomy. Telephone interviews were conducted at least 6 weeks after COVID-19 infection.
Results showed that 55.2% of the 134 participants had symptoms of psychological illness, while 21.6% had moderate to severe anxiety or depression. On the other hand, cognitive ability was diminished in 19.4% of the study participants.
The study detected executive dysfunction in 56% of the patients, which could be reflected in problems with working memory, attention, problem solving and/or decision making. Impaired cognitive flexibility and inhibition abilities, which may include difficulties in quickly changing tasks, controlling impulses or reactions, were found in 38.8% of the participants. The frequency of cognitive impairments other than inhibition deficits tended to decrease over time, which may indicate an improvement in cognitive function in those affected by the infection.
This study confirms that patients with COVID-19 may suffer lasting cognitive and neuropsychiatric sequelae, including inhibition deficits. However, some cognitive functions may improve over time.
The study highlights the importance of cognitive screening in all patients with COVID-19. Future research should focus on inhibition deficits over a prolonged period of time to help assess the progression of this impairment.
The original publication Cognitive Inhibition Deficit in Long COVID-19: An Exploratory Study can be found in the Frontiers Research Journal.
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