Open AccessNeurocognitive impairment postCOVID-19: a review
Author(s) -
Luciana Maria Campos e Silva,
Suelen Darlane Vieira,
Ana Catarini Lopes Baltazar,
Ana Luiza Soares Henriques de Almeida,
Rafael Rodrigues,
Isabela Guedes,
Amanda Mansur Rosa,
Maíssa Ferreira Diniz
Publication year - 2021
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Conference proceedings
DOI - 10.5327/1516-3180.125
Subject(s) - neurocognitive , medicine , cognition , dementia , pediatrics , disease , intensive care medicine , psychiatry , pathology
Background: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a neurotropic virus. Although its main manifestations are respiratory, neurological complaints associated with COVID-19 are growing. Important cognitive impairments have been shown during and after the acute illness. Objectives: To review post-COVID-19’s neurocognitive deficits. Design and Setting: Review of the literature. Methods: The PubMed database was used with the descriptors “COVID-19” and “neurocognition”, finding 94 articles. Only articles with participants without previous cognitive or psychiatric disorders were included, 7 review articles and 5 cohort studies being selected. Results: All of the reviewed articles demonstrated cognitive impairment in post-COVID-19 patients, including patients without cognitive complaints. Headache, dysgeusia, diarrhea and use of oxygen during acute COVID were related to lower scores on global cognition tests. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment both at hospital discharge and 1 year after, mainly in working memory, processing speed, executive functions and attention. Post-SARS imaging exams showed atrophy and loss of brain volume. The mechanisms of CNS injury in COVID-19 are not completely understood, but systemic hypoxia, associated with important viremia and the massive release of cytokines, has an important role in a picture of toxic encephalopathy and destruction of nervous tissue. Conclusion: There is evidence of neurocognitive impairments as a result of COVID-19, however studies on the mechanisms of occurrence and severity of deficits are scarce. Further studies are needed to identify predictors and develop prevention strategies.