The impact of COVID-19 post-infection on the cognition of adults from Peru

Jonathan Zegarra-Valdivia, Harold Arana-Nombera, Leandro Perez-Fernandez, Reyna Alamo-Medina, Milagros del Rocío Casimiro, Diana Bustamante-Delgado, Maribel Matallana-Sanchez, Viviana Gallegos-Manayay, Elizabeth Álvarez-Bravo, Tihany Arteaga-Cancino, Eduardo Abanto-Saldaña, María del Rosario Oliva-Piscoya, María Celinda Cruz-Ordinola, Patricia Chavarry, Brenda Chino-Vilca, Carmen Paredes-Manrique, Carlos Chirinos, Nilton Custodio, Agustín Ibañez

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1325237
JournalFrontiers in Psychology
Volume15
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • adults
  • cognitive performance
  • executive function
  • gender

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