Are There Any Cognitive and Behavioral Changes Potentially Related to Quarantine Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment and AD Dementia? A Longitudinal Study.

Marianna Tsatali,Dimitrios Bekiaridis-Moschou,Despina Liapi,Aikaterini Soumpourou,Christina Agogiatou,Irene-Maria Tabakis,Georgia Batsila,Ourania Chatziroumpi,Eleni Sia,Eleni Poptsi,Chrysa Papasozomenou,Eleni Kouroundi,Alexandra Diamantidou,Evaggelia Bakoglidou,Konstantina Avdikou,Fani Ouzouni,Nefeli Markou,Andromachi Gavra,Moses Gialaouzidis,Despina Μoraitou ,Magda Tsolaki

doi:10.3390/brainsci11091165

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine potential cognitive, mood (depression and anxiety) and behavioral changes that may be related to the quarantine and the lockdown applied during the COVID-19 pandemic in Greek older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD dementia in mild and moderate stages. Method: 407 older adults, diagnosed either with MCI or AD dementia (ADD), were recruited from the Day Centers of the Greek Association of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD). Neuropsychological assessment was performed at baseline (at the time of diagnosis) between May and July of 2018, as well as for two consecutive follow-up assessments, identical in period, in 2019 and 2020. The majority of participants had participated in non-pharmacological interventions during 2018 as well as 2019, whereas all of them continued their participation online in 2020. Results: Mixed measures analysis of variance showed that participants’ ‘deterioration difference—D’ by means of their performance difference in neuropsychological assessments between 2018–2019 (D1) and 2019–2020 (D2) did not change, except for the FUCAS, RAVLT, and phonemic fluency tests, since both groups resulted in a larger deterioration difference (D2) in these tests. Additionally, three path models examining the direct relationships between performance in tests measuring mood, as well as everyday functioning and cognitive measures, showed that participants’ worsened performance in the 2019 and 2020 assessments was strongly affected by NPI performance, in sharp contrast to the 2018 assessment. Discussion: During the lockdown period, MCI and ADD patients’ neuropsychological performance did not change, except from the tests measuring verbal memory, learning, and phonemic fluency, as well as everyday functioning. However, the natural progression of the MCI as well as ADD condition is the main reason for participants’ deterioration. Mood performance became increasingly closely related to cognition and everyday functioning. Hence, the role of quarantine and AD progression are discussed as potential factors associated with impairments.

Highlights

According to the declaration of the World Health Organization in March 2020, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the main cause of the subsequently named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), constitutes a viral infectious disease initially emerging in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 [1]
The sample consisted of two different groups: (a) people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI); (b) people with the diagnosis of AD dementia (ADD) according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) [15]
Older adults with MCI were more educated compared to ADD who were older and less educated

Summary

Introduction

According to the declaration of the World Health Organization in March 2020, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the main cause of the subsequently named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), constitutes a viral infectious disease initially emerging in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 [1]. Social isolation and restriction were associated with reduced COVID-19 transmission, the scientific community as well as previous research [4] highlight the severe negative effects of quarantine on mental health among young and older adult populations. Recent data [5] showed that prolonged homestay of older adults may be accompanied by deleterious side effects, which can impact physical as well as mental health, resulting in deteriorating quality of life indices. Current observations support that the COVID-19 pandemic can lead to a possible outbreak of psychiatric disorders [6,7], due to various factors such as fear and agony, sense of loneliness due to social distancing, uncertainty about the future, confusion, anger about the pandemic’s duration, as well as a feeling of being exposed and stigma in the case of being infected by the virus

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