Insights into attention and memory difficulties in post-COVID syndrome using standardized neuropsychological tests and experimental cognitive tasks

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to post-acute cognitive symptoms, often described as 'brain fog'. To comprehensively grasp the extent of these issues, we conducted a study integrating traditional neuropsychological assessments with experimental cognitive tasks targeting attention control, working memory, and long-term memory, three cognitive domains most commonly associated with 'brain fog'. We enrolled 33 post-COVID patients, all self-reporting cognitive difficulties, and a matched control group (N = 27) for cognitive and psychological assessments. Our findings revealed significant attention deficits in post-COVID patients across both neuropsychological measurements and experimental cognitive tasks, evidencing reduced performance in tasks involving interference resolution and selective and sustained attention. Mild executive function and naming impairments also emerged from the neuropsychological assessment. Notably, 61% of patients reported significant prospective memory failures in daily life, aligning with our recruitment focus. Furthermore, our patient group showed significant alterations in the psycho-affective domain, indicating a complex interplay between cognitive and psychological factors, which could point to a non-cognitive determinant of subjectively experienced cognitive changes following COVID-19. In summary, our study offers valuable insights into attention challenges faced by individuals recovering from COVID-19, stressing the importance of comprehensive cognitive and psycho-affective evaluations for supporting post-COVID individuals.

Figure 1

Psycho-affective and general intelligence scores. Boxplot distribution of depression (BDI), state (STAI-Y1) and trait (STAI-Y2) anxiety and general intelligence (RPM) data for the control and patient groups. The asterisks denote significant group differences.

Figure 2

MANOVA and DDA results. Boxplot distribution of the MANOVA composite variable for the control and patient groups and structure coefficients size and direction from the DDA for each dependent variable.