Studies suggest COVID-19 associated with long-term cognitive dysfunction

Older adults frequently experience cognitive impairment after recovering from COVID-19, according to three studies reported last week at an Alzheimer’s Association conference. 
 
Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Long School of Medicine and a global SARS-CoV-2 consortium studied nearly 300 older adult Amerindians in Argentina and found more than half experienced persistent forgetfulness three to six months after infection, which was associated with persistent loss of smell. 
 
Another study with the global consortium looked at cognitive impairment in 32 patients previously hospitalized with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in Greece. Two months after discharge, 56% presented with cognitive decline, predominantly short-term memory impairments, with worse cognitive scores associated with higher age and waist circumference and lower oxygen saturation levels. 
 
In addition, a study of 310 older COVID-19 patients admitted to New York University Langone Health found 158 had neurological symptoms, most commonly confusion due to toxic-metabolic encephalopathy. Patients with TME had higher levels of certain biomarker indicators of brain injury, neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease, the authors said