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. 2023 Aug 18;13(16):2703.
doi: 10.3390/diagnostics13162703.

Investigation of Cognitive Impairment in the Course of Post-COVID Syndrome

Milena Dimitrova  1 , Yoanna Marinova  1 , Dancho Dilkov  1
Affiliations

Investigation of Cognitive Impairment in the Course of Post-COVID Syndrome

Milena Dimitrova et al. Diagnostics (Basel). .

Abstract

(1) Background: The study presents results from an investigation of cognitive impairment in patients hospitalized in the first psychiatric clinic in Bulgaria to treat patients with COVID-19 during the pandemic period between 2020 and 2022. One hundred and twenty patients who had recovered from acute COVID-19 infection (up to 12 weeks ago) and had no previous history of cognitive impairment participated in the study. In 23 of them (19.17%), disturbance of cognitive functioning was observed. (2) Methods: All 23 patients underwent neuropsychological (Luria's test, Platonov's Maze test, MMSE, Boston Naming test) and neuroimaging examinations. Only seven of them had evidence of cortical atrophy on CT/MRI images. The most significantly demonstrative image of one of those patients is presented. (3) Results: The neuropsychological testing results of both groups show a certain decrease in fixation and memory retention as well as in the range, concentration, distribution and switching of attention. Deviations from the norm on the MMSE, as well as on the Boston Naming Test, were found in the group of patients with cortical atrophy (mild to moderate aphasia). Neuroprotective agents such as Citicoline, Piracetam and Memantine were prescribed to the patients with evident cortical atrophy. After 3 months, positive results of the neuropsychological examination were reported in both groups. (4) Conclusions: Although there are limited data on the benefit of prescribing pro-cognitive agents in the post-COVID period, our clinical experience suggests that it might be useful in the recovery process from the infection's consequences on cognition for patients with brain pathology.

Keywords: COVID-19; aphasia; attention deficit; cognitive disturbance; cognitive impairment; memory; mild cognitive deficit; neuroprotective agent; post-COVID syndrome; pro-cognitive agent.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Scheme 1
Scheme 1
Flow diagram illustrating the methodology of the study (inclusion and exclusion criteria, neuropsychology testing and neuroimaging examinations). CT—computed tomography; MRI—magnetic resonance imaging.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Neuropsychological testing results of patients with cortical atrophy.
Figure 2
Figure 2
General improvement in cognitive functioning of the patients with cortical atrophy 3 months after treatment with pro-cognitive agent.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Neuropsychological testing results of patients without cortical atrophy.
Figure 4
Figure 4
General improvement in cognitive functioning of the patients without cortical atrophy 3 months after treatment without pro-cognitive agent.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Comorbid psychiatric disorders in the 23 patients with objective cognitive decline in the course of post-COVID syndrome.
Figure 6
Figure 6
MRI image of the patient conducted in 2020 before the COVID-19 infection.
Figure 7
Figure 7
CT scan image of the patient conducted in 2022 after surviving 2 severe COVID-19 infections.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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