Cognitive remediation therapy for post-acute persistent cognitive deficits in COVID-19 survivors: A proof-of-concept study.
Neuropsychol Rehabil
; 33(7): 1207-1224, 2023 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35583357
ABSTRACT
Cognitive impairments figure prominently in COVID-19 survivors. Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) improves functional outcomes reducing long-term cognitive deficits in several neurological and psychiatric conditions. Our case-control study investigates the efficacy of a CRT programme administered to COVID-19 survivors in the post-acute phase of the illness. Seventy-three COVID-19 survivors presenting cognitive impairments at one-month follow-up were enrolled. Among them, 15 patients were treated with a two-month CRT programme, and 30 non-treated patients were matched conditional to their baseline cognitive functioning. Cognitive functions were assessed before and after treatment. Depression and quality of life were also evaluated. Mixed model ANOVA revealed a significant effect over time of the CRT programme on global cognitive functioning (F = 4.56, p = 0.039), while no significant effect was observed in the untreated group. We observed a significant effect of the improvement in verbal fluency (χ2 = 7.20, p = 0.007) and executive functions (χ2 = 13.63, p < 0.001) on quality of life. A positive significant correlation was found between depressive symptomatology and verbal fluency (r = -0.35), working memory (r = -0.44), psychomotor coordination (r = -0.42), and executive functions (r = -0.33). Our results could pave the way to a plausible innovative treatment targeting cognitive impairments and ameliorating the quality of life of COVID-19 survivors.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cognitive Dysfunction
/
Cognitive Remediation
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational_studies
Aspects:
Patient_preference
Limits:
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
Neuropsychol Rehabil
Journal subject:
NEUROLOGIA
/
PSICOLOGIA
/
REABILITACAO
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Italy