Work

COVID-19 may Enduringly Impact Cognitive Performance and Brain Haemodynamics in Undergraduate Students

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: To date, 770 million people worldwide have contracted COVID-19, with many reporting long-term "brain fog". Concerningly, young adults are both overrepresented in COVID-19 infection rates and may be especially vulnerable to prolonged cognitive impairments following infection. This calls for focused research on this population to better understand the mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment post-COVID-19. Addressing gaps in the literature, the current study investigated differences in neuropsychological performance and cerebral haemodynamic activity following COVID-19 infection in undergraduate students. 94 undergraduates (age in years: M = 20.58, SD = 3.33, range = 18 to 46; 89 % female) at the University of Otago reported their COVID-19 infection history before completing a neuropsychological battery while wearing a multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) device to record prefrontal haemodynamics. We observed that 40 % retrospectively self-reported cognitive impairment (brain fog) due to COVID-19 and 37 % exhibited objective evidence of cognitive impairment (assessed via computerised testing), with some suggestion that executive functioning may have been particularly affected; however, group-level analyses indicated preserved cognitive performance post COVID-19, which may in part reflect varying compensatory abilities. The NIRS data revealed novel evidence that previously infected students exhibited distinct prefrontal haemodynamic patterns during cognitive engagement, reminiscent of those observed in adults four decades older, and this appeared to be especially true if they reported experiencing brain fog due to COVID-19. These results provide new insights into the potential neuropathogenic mechanisms influencing cognitive impairment following COVID-19.

Source: Brain Behavior and Immunity

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.12.002

Authors: Ronan McNeill, Rebekah Marshall, Shenelle Anne Fernando, Olivia Harrison, Liana Machado

Institutions: University of Otago, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Oxford

Language: English

Topic: Long-Term Effects of COVID-19

Subfield: Neurology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,880