The Cognitive Profile of COVID-19: Longitudinal Neuropsychological Outcomes Following Infection

Evidence suggests the virus causing COVID-19 invades the brain, raising concern over the potential for long-term impacts on thinking abilities and everyday functioning. Our current CIHR funded study is characterizing cognitive functioning in COVID-19 positive individuals following physical recovery, and we now aim to track cognitive changes over time and identify risk factors for poorer long-term cognitive outcomes. Adults who tested positive for COVID-19 and acutely recovered, and those with no evidence of infection, are completing a series of cognitive and psychological tests via reliable, and valid videoconferencing techniques in our current study. The proposed study will follow these individuals over time, with 2-year follow-up assessments to examine changes in cognition. We are comparing test performance to determine group differences in cognitive functioning, mental health, and other factors at baseline, will re-assess group differences after 2 years, and will test a screening measure to detect these cognitive difficulties. Our follow-up study will examine the extent to which medical and mental health factors (e.g., other pre-existing medical conditions, vaccination status) may interact to play a role in cognitive changes, and how well a screening measure is able to detect COVID-related cognitive difficulties. Findings will inform clinicians (e.g., neurologists, neuropsychologists, rehabilitation specialists), on expectations for trajectory of potential recovery of function, and on how to optimally develop and deploy services in Ontario, BC, and other jurisdictions in Canada, with relevance to international health care communities. Results will help to ensure secondary impacts of COVID-19 infection are appropriately addressed, so that those affected by this virus are able to most efficiently resume complex daily activities requiring cognitive effort, including employment and academic pursuits.