TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of COVID-19 post-infection on the cognition of adults from Peru
AU - Zegarra-Valdivia, Jonathan
AU - Arana-Nombera, Harold
AU - Perez-Fernandez, Leandro
AU - Alamo-Medina, Reyna
AU - Casimiro, Milagros del Rocío
AU - Bustamante-Delgado, Diana
AU - Matallana-Sanchez, Maribel
AU - Gallegos-Manayay, Viviana
AU - Álvarez-Bravo, Elizabeth
AU - Arteaga-Cancino, Tihany
AU - Abanto-Saldaña, Eduardo
AU - Oliva-Piscoya, María del Rosario
AU - Cruz-Ordinola, María Celinda
AU - Chavarry, Patricia
AU - Chino-Vilca, Brenda
AU - Paredes-Manrique, Carmen
AU - Chirinos, Carlos
AU - Custodio, Nilton
AU - Ibañez, Agustín
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 Zegarra-Valdivia, Arana-Nombera, Perez-Fernandez, Alamo-Medina, Casimiro, Bustamante-Delgado, Matallana-Sanchez, Gallegos-Manayay, Álvarez-Bravo, Arteaga-Cancino, Abanto-Saldaña, Oliva-Piscoya, Cruz-Ordinola, Chavarry, Chino-Vilca, Paredes-Manrique, Chirinos, Custodio and Ibañez.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic, with over 83 million confirmed cases and 1.8 million deaths, has raised concerns about long-term cognitive issues, especially in populations facing disparities. Despite a few years since Peru’s first COVID-19 wave, the cognitive effects on adults remain unclear. This study is the first in Peru to explore COVID-19’s impact on general cognition and executive function. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study compared individuals with COVID-19 history to controls, assessing general cognition, verbal fluency, attention, and executive function. Among 240 assessed, 154 met the study inclusion criteria, with about 60% female and an average age of 38.89 ± 16.001 years. Groups included controls (n = 42), acute phase (AP, n = 74) (1–14 days of symptoms), and hyperinflammatory phase (HP, n = 38) (>14 days of symptoms). Results: Significant cognitive differences were observed. The HP group exhibited lower general cognitive performance (p = 0.02), working memory (p = 0.01), and executive function (planning; p < 0.001; flexibility; p = 0.03) than controls. Those with <14 days of illness (AP vs. HP) had deficits in general cognitive performance (p = 0.02), working memory (p = 0.02), and planning (p < 0.001), mainly during the hyperinflammatory phase, showing differences in working memory (p = 0.003) and planning (p = 0.01). Gender differences emerged, with males in the HP phase having poorer working memory (p = 0.003) and planning (p = 0.01). Discussion: This study underscores COVID-19’s negative impact on cognitive function, even in mild cases, with potential heightened effects in men during acute or hyperinflammatory phases. The findings provide Peru’s first evidence, highlighting the vulnerability of populations facing socioeconomic disparities.
AB - Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic, with over 83 million confirmed cases and 1.8 million deaths, has raised concerns about long-term cognitive issues, especially in populations facing disparities. Despite a few years since Peru’s first COVID-19 wave, the cognitive effects on adults remain unclear. This study is the first in Peru to explore COVID-19’s impact on general cognition and executive function. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study compared individuals with COVID-19 history to controls, assessing general cognition, verbal fluency, attention, and executive function. Among 240 assessed, 154 met the study inclusion criteria, with about 60% female and an average age of 38.89 ± 16.001 years. Groups included controls (n = 42), acute phase (AP, n = 74) (1–14 days of symptoms), and hyperinflammatory phase (HP, n = 38) (>14 days of symptoms). Results: Significant cognitive differences were observed. The HP group exhibited lower general cognitive performance (p = 0.02), working memory (p = 0.01), and executive function (planning; p < 0.001; flexibility; p = 0.03) than controls. Those with <14 days of illness (AP vs. HP) had deficits in general cognitive performance (p = 0.02), working memory (p = 0.02), and planning (p < 0.001), mainly during the hyperinflammatory phase, showing differences in working memory (p = 0.003) and planning (p = 0.01). Gender differences emerged, with males in the HP phase having poorer working memory (p = 0.003) and planning (p = 0.01). Discussion: This study underscores COVID-19’s negative impact on cognitive function, even in mild cases, with potential heightened effects in men during acute or hyperinflammatory phases. The findings provide Peru’s first evidence, highlighting the vulnerability of populations facing socioeconomic disparities.
KW - COVID-19
KW - adults
KW - cognitive performance
KW - executive function
KW - gender
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197779148&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1325237
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1325237
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85197779148
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 15
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
M1 - 1325237
ER -