Coronavirus causes cognitive and mental health disorders. Recovered patients complain that they get tired quickly and cannot concentrate, as it is difficult for them to remember information and quickly find words. Patients also experience sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, and mental disorders. All these violations can continue for several months after infection with coronavirus.
Cognitive impairment is more likely to occur after severe COVID-19. According to the UK Office for National Statistics, nearly 14% of patients reported cognitive impairment 3 months after testing positive for coronavirus. In severe cases, cognitive impairment occurs in 33–76% of patients 3–6 months after hospitalization.
Research on Cognitive Impairment Post-COVID-19
Scientists at the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London have found that patients who have experienced severe COVID-19 develop more severe cognitive impairment than people of the same age with early and moderate dementia. On average, impairments were similar to those seen in normal cognitive decline between 50 and 70 years old.
The study included 46 people hospitalized with severe COVID-19. Of these, 16 people received artificial lung ventilation. Between 1 and 10 months after admission to the hospital, patients were tested for attention, memory, spatial thinking, and the ability to find words quickly. In addition, scientists assessed the level of mental health of patients: mood, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress.
Cognitive impairment was most pronounced in patients who underwent mechanical ventilation and had the highest C-reactive protein level. C-reactive protein is a marker of inflammation and tissue damage.
Spatial thinking and the ability to quickly find words suffered the most. These results were adjusted for mental health, did not depend on the level of education and native language, and coincided with patients’ complaints.
How Quickly Cognitive Functions Recover After COVID-19
Recently, a group of scientists from the UK reported that accuracy of attention and memory functions are restored in 6-9 months after recovery. The German scientists performed visual measurements of brain functions and reported that brain metabolism and cognitive functions are significantly restored in 6 months.
However, the present study showed that cognitive functions are recovered slowly and insignificantly, depending on the severity of the coronavirus and mental factors.
Conclusion
Severe COVID-19 causes long-term cognitive decline. The more severe COVID-19 was, the stronger the cognitive impairment in patients. Recovery of cognitive functions is possible but takes a long time.
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