Cognitive Functions During Acute Period of COVID-19 and Recovery

Study Objective: To identify the impact from the pneumonia-complicated COVID-19 coronavirus infection over patients’ cognitive functions.

Study design: Perspective study.

Materials and Methods. We examined 32 patients with COVID from the study group on days 2–3, 8–10 in inpatient settings, after 2 months of hospitalisation vs 30 healthy controls. Cognitive functions were evaluated using the following neuropsychologic tests: Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), The Clock-drawing Test (CDT). Signs of anxiety and depression were screened using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Study Results. During the acute and recovery periods, patients from the study group demonstrated statistically significant cognitive disorders as per MMSE, MoCA, FAB vs controls (p < 0.001). On days 2–3 and 8–10 in inpatient settings, MMSE was 22 [22; 29] and 22 [19.2; 23.7] points; MoCA — 26 [21; 28] and 21 [18; 23] points, FAB — 13 [10; 18] and 10 [8; 12] points; in 2 months after hospitalisation, MMSE was 29 [26.8; 30] points (р = 0.008 vs days 2–3 and 8–10), MoCA — 25 [22; 27] points (р = 0.03 vs days 8–10), FAB — 16 [14.5; 17] points (р = 0.004 and р = 0.02). The condition of cognitive functions measured during the acute period of the disease worsened even more by days 8–10 of hospitalisation and tended to normalise in 2 months. As per HADS, there were no abnormal findings; therefore, the patients were neither anxious, nor depressed, and the median was 8 points. СDT values were normal as well, both in acute period and during recovery.

Conclusion. The coronavirus infection impacts the cognitive status. For cognitive dysfunctions, neuroprotectives and non-drug cognitive rehabilitation can be recommended. Cognitive dysfunctions are quite an expected independent syndrome, the course of which is not directly associated with somatic recovery.

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