A - 72 Neuropsychological Test Performance in Mild to Moderate COVID-19 Patients with and without Subjective Cognitive Complaints.

Abstract

This cross-sectional study measured cognitive performance in mild-moderate COVID-19 patients with and without self-reported persistent cognitive complaints, while accounting for demographic variables, cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors, and mood symptoms. We hypothesized that individuals with persistent cognitive complaints would demonstrate lower global cognitive composite scores compared to those without. 67 adults aged 24-83 completed in-person neuropsychological testing in a hospital setting in Phoenix, Arizona. PCR-confirmed COVID-19 within 24months before evaluation and no pre-existing neurological conditions. The Long COVID (LC) group included those with persistent cognitive symptoms 4+ weeks after infection; COVID-positive Controls (CC) included those with prior infection but without persistent cognitive symptoms. Demographic information, CVD risk factors, and psychiatric history were collected. Neuropsychological evaluation included performance validity testing and validated measures of attention, language, visuospatial ability, executive function, and memory. T-scores from each domain were averaged to create a global cognitive composite score. Gender, age, race (white/non-white), mood disorder, and CVD were equivalent across groups. Education was significantly higher in the LC group, t(65) = 2.737, p = 0.008, and was included as a covariate in the model to account for differences in cognitive reserve. With this adjustment, there was not a statistically significant difference in global composite scores between groups, F(1, 64) = 0.13, p = 0.911, partial η2 = 0.000. Cognitive performance did not differ between LC and CC groups when demographics, cardiovascular risk, and mood symptoms were held constant, suggesting that other factors influence the development of persistent cognitive complaints in mild-moderate COVID-19 patients.