SARS-CoV-2-Associated Psychoneurological Manifestations

Objective: To evaluate the psychoneurological status of post-COVID-19 patients using diagnostic tests for psychoemotional state, cognitive functions, sleep disorders.

Design: a non-randomized single blind study.

Materials and methods. We conducted psychoneurological tests on 68 post-COVID-19 patients (38 women and 30 men) (mean age: women — 44.6 ± 6.4 years old, men — 46.8 ± 7.8 years old). The control group included 30 persons without a history of coronavirus infection. Neuropsychological tests were performed using the asthenia scale developed by L. D. Malkova and adapted by T. G. Chertova, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Spiegel Sleep Questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, cognitive function testing (memorising 10 words, Munsterberg test, mechanical memory test).

Results. The main psychoneurological manifestations in post-COVID-19 patients are asthenoneurotic (23,5%) or anxiodepressive symptoms (25%), insomnia (39.7 %) and cognitive-mnestic disorders (32.4 %) associated with somatic-vegetative disorders (hyperhydrosis, palpitations, blood pressure fluctuations, dispeptric disorders, episodes of dizziness). A lot of patients had persistent smell and taste disorders (26.5 %), impaired visual acuity (25 %), impaired hearing (23.5 %), limb numbness and paresthesia (20.6 %).

Conclusion. Management of patients with coronavirus infection requires a comprehensive diagnostic approach involving assessment of their mental health. Psychoneurological features of post-COVID-19 patients demonstrate the need in improved efficiency of rehabilitation and therapeutic measures due to restoration of mental, cognitive, somatic-vegetative functions. SARS-CoV-2-associated symptoms of neural system involvement are a sign of unfavourable disease progression and outcome.

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