New Research Reveals COVID-19 Leads to Cognitive and Behavioral Problems

COVID-19 patients suffer from cognitive and behavioral problems two months after hospital discharge, according to a new study presented at the 7th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN).

COVID-19 patients suffer from cognitive and behavioral problems two months after hospital discharge, according to a new study presented at the 7th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN).

Problems with memory, spatial awareness and problems with information processing were identified as possible virus overhangs in post-COVID-19 patients who were followed up within eight weeks.

The study also found that one in five patients reported post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with 16% exhibiting depressive symptoms.

The study, conducted in Italy, involved testing neurocognitive skills and taking MRI brain scans of patients two months after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. More than 50% of patients experienced cognitive impairment; 16%% had problems with executive function (controlling working memory, flexible thinking and information processing), 6% had visual-spatial problems (difficulty judging depth and seeing contrast), 6% had impaired memory and 25 % showed a combination of all of these symptoms.

Cognitive and psychopathological problems were much worse in younger people, with the majority of patients under the age of 50 showing problems with executive functions.

Across the sample, the greater severity of acute respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 during hospitalization was associated with low performance of executive function.

In addition, a longitudinal observation of the same cohort at 10 months from COVID-19 showed a 53 to 36% reduction in cognitive impairment, but a persistent presence of PTSD and depressive symptoms.

Lead author of the study, Prof. Massimo Filippi, from the Scientific Institute and University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy, explained: “Our study confirmed that significant cognitive and behavioral problems are associated with COVID-19 and several months after healing from the disease.”

“One particularly alarming finding is the changes in executive function we found that can make it difficult for people to concentrate, plan, think flexibly and remember things. These symptoms affected three in four younger patients of working age.”

No significant relationship was observed between cognitive performance and brain volume in the study.

“Larger studies and longer-term follow-up are both needed, but this study suggests that COVID-19 is associated with significant cognitive and psychopathological problems,” concluded Dr. Canu, researcher at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan and lead author of the study. “Appropriate follow-up and treatments are crucial to ensure these previously hospitalized patients receive adequate support to alleviate these symptoms.”

Other COVID-19 findings at the 7th EAN Congress:

The study is one of four scientific presentations on the neurological symptoms of COVID-19, a rapidly emerging area of ​​research, from this week’s EAN conference:

Research, led by Dr. Mattia Pozzato of the Osperdale Maggiore Policlinico in Milan, found that 77.4% of 53 patients reported developing at least one neurological symptom and 46.3% presented more than three neurological symptoms between 5-10 months after admission to the hospital. hospital with COVID-19. The most common of these symptoms were insomnia (65.9%), daytime sleepiness (46.3%) and walking difficulties. Other less frequent symptoms were headache, hyposmia (a decreased sense of smell) and hypogeusia (loss of taste). The authors concluded that 90% of patients had post-COVID-19 symptoms, of which neurological symptoms are an important part. A research project presented by Professor Tamara S. Mischenko, Head of the Department of Neurology and Medical Psychology at Karazin University, Ukraine, followed 42 patients aged 32 to 54 after being hospitalized with COVID-19 after 2 to 4 months. , and found that 95% had a symptom of a neurocognitive disorder. All patients suffered from asthenic symptoms, increased fatigue and symptoms of anxiety/depression. Other symptoms were vestibular (balance) disturbances (59.2%), headache (50%) and decreased sense of smell (19%). Five patients also experienced ischemic strokes in the two months following hospitalization from COVID-19. A study looking at brainstem damage in COVID-19 patients through postmortem examination showed a high rate of neuronal damage and a higher number of small masses (called corpora amylacea) that are abundant in neurodegenerative diseases. Immunohistochemical tests also revealed the presence of the virus in the brainstem. Measurements were compared with non-COVID-19 ICU patients. The author, Dr. Tommaso Bocci, a neurologist and neurophysiologist at the Department of Neurological Sciences at the University of Milan, said the study provides the first neuropathological, neurophysiological and clinical evidence of COVID-19-related brainstem involvement, especially at the medullary level, suggesting a neurogenic component of respiratory failure.