Post-COVID-Syndrome patients might overestimate own cognitive impairment

Abstract

After a COVID-19 infection, some patients experience long-term consequences known as Post-Covid Syndrome, which often includes cognitive impairment. We investigated the congruence between subjectively experienced and objectively measured cognitive deficits after a COVID-19 infection in an unselected, successively admitted cohort of 38 patients reporting subjective cognitive complaints (SCC). We employed a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery to assess objective cognitive impairment across various cognitive domains. Three different cut-off criteria were applied commonly used in the literature to define objective neurocognitive disorder (NCD). We observed a notably low congruence between SCC and NCD in Post-Covid Syndrome, regardless of the cut-off criterion. Depending on the cognitive domain, only 5% to maximally 36% of the SCC could be objectified. One possible explanation for this discrepancy could be the high rate of depressive symptoms observed in the group of patients studied, which may negatively influence the perception of own cognitive abilities. These findings emphasize the need for careful evaluation of SCC in Post-Covid Syndrome and suggest that treating depressive symptoms may also alleviate some of the perceived cognitive deficits.