ABSTRACT
We present data from two studies examining how COVID-19 restrictions affected health behaviours (alcohol consumption, diet, sleep quality, and physical activity levels), mental wellbeing (negative mood) and cognitive function (decision making, attention, learning, working memory, and time perception) in association with sociodemographic factors. Study 1 assessed participants in Scotland and presents cognitive function data for five timepoints. Study 2 is transnational, assessing participants in Scotland and Japan. Data are stored as CSV files. Reuse may involve examining further effects of pandemic enforced social isolation or serve as baseline data when assessing social isolation in expeditions or ageing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between a number of factors including cognitive performance and quality of life (QOL), premorbid Verbal IQ and QOL, cognitive performance and premorbid Verbal IQ, and length of time since COVID-19 diagnosis and QOL. In addition, to evaluate whether cognitive performance and premorbid Verbal IQ predict QOL based on perception of cognitive function or one's well-being in a group of non-hospitalized individuals at least 12 weeks post COVID-19 diagnosis.Twenty-three participants completed the remote study protocol procedures. The protocol consisted of the following tasks: 1. a participant intake form, 2. the Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) Version 4, 3. the Lexical Orthographic Familiarity Test (LOFT), 4. a QOL measure based on emotional health (Neuro-QOL Item Bank v1.0: Positive Affect and Well-Being), and one based on cognitive health (Neuro-QOL Item Bank v2.0: Cognitive Function). The main outcome variables included: the ImPACT Two-Factor Memory and Speed Composites, the LOFT raw score, and T-scores from each QOL measure. A multiple linear regression was used to determine the effect of the Speed Composite from the ImPACT and the LOFT raw score on outcomes from each measure of QOL. A multiple linear regression was also used to determine the effect of the Memory Composite from the ImPACT and the LOFT raw score on outcomes from each measure of QOL. Pearson's correlations were used to determine the relationship between the following: each QOL measure and both the Memory Composite and Speed Composite from the ImPACT, each QOL measure and the LOFT raw score, the LOFT raw score and both the Memory Composite and Speed Composite from the ImPACT, and each QOL measure and days since COVID-19 diagnosis. Findings revealed small-medium positive relationships between cognition and QOL, a small positive relationship with QOL in the cognitive domain and premorbid Verbal IQ, a small positive relationship between premorbid Verbal IQ and objective memory performance, and a small negative relationship between QOL in the emotional domain and length of time since COVID-19 diagnosis. A majority of the relationships lacked statistical significance. Premorbid Verbal IQ and cognitive performance measured via Speed Composite scores, with outliers included in analysis, predicted QOL in the cognitive domain. No additional predictor models for QOL reached significance. Results must be interpreted with caution given the small sample size (n = 23).Relationships between outcome variables varied based on the QOL measure used and the cognitive area assessed. Given findings, clinicians are encouraged to include a measure of speed performance (i.e., reaction time) when assessing cognitive function in individuals following COVID-19 despite hospitalization status. In addition, providing QOL measures to patients presenting with cognitive deficits may reveal functional impairments. Additional research is needed to better understand the long-term impact of COVID-19 on cognition and QOL. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The world continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is concern over the increase in the needs of older people for nursing care. In this study, the relationships of the "tooth condition” with mobility and cognitive function were investigated in 1,000 residents of 14 special elderly nursing homes. In those using well-fitting dentures, the percentage of those capable of independent indoor mobility was highest at 21.6%, and the percentages of those able to communicate (66.2%), understand routines (47.5%), state their own age (36.2%), remember recent events (45.0%), state their own name (85.7%), understand seasons (43.7%), and understand places (46.4%) were significantly higher than in those in other "tooth conditions”. This study clarified the relationships of the "tooth condition” with mobility and cognitive function, and maintaining an adequate "tooth condition” was suggested to contribute to the prevention of a condition requiring long-term nursing care. © 2023 Asian Society of Human Services.
ABSTRACT
Aims: COVID-19 leaves diverse sequalae beyond the acute illness, referred to as 'long COVID'. However, the aetiology, characteristics and risk factors of Long-COVID is still lacking. COVID-19 patients experience various stressful events and suffer emotional distress which causes post-traumatic stress disorders. This study aimed to investigate association between of perceived distress to COVID-19 infection and long COVID. Method(s): Data from 56 patients who visited the psychiatric department of our post-COVID clinic between March and June 2022 were analysed. All patients completed a subjective symptom checklist [32 symptoms in eight categories], selected cognitive function tests [digit span test, trail making test (TMT), and Stroop word colour interference test], and validated neuropsychological scales [Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAS and HDS), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Impact of event scale-revised (IES-R)]. We classified patients into two groups, 'High distress group'(N = 37) and 'Low distress group (N = 19) through IES-R score (cut-off = 25). The frequency and severity of long COVID-symptoms between the two groups were compared with Mann-whitney and chi-square test. Result(s): The average age of the patients was 53.34 years, and 70.53 days had passed from the SARS-CoV-2 confirmation using RTPCR. 'High distress group' showed higher HAS (284 vs. 455, p = .01), HDS (197 vs. 387, p = .032), and PSQI (238 vs. 428, p = .05) scores and suffered shortness of breath, palpitation, tingling, subjective memory deficit more frequently. Regarding neurocognitive functioning, there was no difference between two groups. Conclusion(s): Managing perceived distress due to COVID-19 could alleviate the long-covid sequalae especially in neuropsychiatric area.
ABSTRACT
Background The COVID-19 pandemic coincides with growing concern regarding the mental health of young people. Older adolescents have faced a particular set of pandemic-related challenges and demonstrate heightened vulnerability to affective disorders (particularly anxiety). Anxiety symptoms are associated with a range of cognitive difficulties. Older adolescents may therefore be susceptible to pandemic-related declines in wellbeing and associated cognitive difficulties. Methods At three timepoints, independent samples of young people aged 16-18 years (N = 607, 242, 618 respectively) completed an online survey. Data collection coincided with periods of lockdown (timepoints 1 and 3) and young people returning to school (timepoint 2). The survey assessed subjective impacts of the pandemic on overall wellbeing, anxiety and cognitive function. Results Findings demonstrated the detrimental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adolescents' psychological wellbeing-a finding that was consistent across samples. The majority of young people at each timepoint experienced heightened anxiety. Crucially, pandemic-related anxiety was associated with self-identified cognitive difficulties, a pattern of association that was evident at all three timepoints. The nature and extent of these difficulties were predictive of specific pandemic-related concerns in this age group. Conclusions Older adolescents' experiences of the pandemic are characterised by subjective declines in wellbeing and stable patterns of association between anxiety and self-identified cognitive difficulties. Implications are discussed with reference to future research and intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
A plethora of evidence links SARS-CoV-2 infection with concomitant cognitive dysfunction, which often persists weeks to months after the acute stages of illness and affects executive function, attention, memory, orientation, and movement control. It remains largely unclear which conditions or factors exacerbate the recovery. In a cohort of N=37 Slovenian patients (5 females, aged M = 58, SD = 10.7 years) that were hospitalized because of COVID-19, the cognitive function and mood states were assessed immediately after discharge and 2-months later to investigate the early post-COVID recovery changes. We assessed the global Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Simple and Choice Reaction Times, executive functions (Trail-Making Test - TMT-A and TMT-B), short-term memory (Auditory Verbal Learning Test - AVLT), and visuospatial memory. We monitored depressive and anxiety symptoms and applied general self-efficacy and cognitive complaints questionnaires. Our results showed a global cognitive impairment (MoCA, Z = 332.5; p = 0.012), poorer performance on executive functions (TMT-A, Z = 188; p = 0.014; and TMT-B, Z = 185; p = 0.012), verbal memory (AVLT, F = 33.4; p < 0.001), and delayed recall (AVLT7, F = 17.1; p < 0.001), and higher depressive (Z = 145; p = 0.015) and anxiety (Z = 141; p = 0.003) symptoms after hospital discharge compared to 2-month follow-up, indicating that SARS-CoV-2 may transiently impair cognitive function and adversely affect the mood. No improvement in MoCA was observed in 40.5% of the patients at follow-up, indicating possible long-term effects of COVID-19 on global cognitive performance. Medical comorbidities (p = 0.035) significantly predicted the change in MoCA score over time, while fat mass (FM, p = 0.518), Mediterranean diet index (p = .0.944), and Florida Cognitive Activities Score (p = 0.927) did not. These results suggest that the patients' medical comorbidities at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection could importantly contribute to the acute impairment of cognitive function and stress the importance of systemic implementation of countermeasures to limit the negative consequences on public health.
ABSTRACT
Patients with long-term health sequelae of COVID-19 (post-COVID-19 condition) experience both physical and cognitive manifestations. However, there is still uncertainty about the prevalence of physical impairment in these patients and whether there is a link between physical and cognitive function. The aim was to assess the prevalence of physical impairment and investigate the association with cognition in patients assessed in a post-COVID-19 clinic. In this cross-sectional study, patients referred to an outpatient clinic ≥ 3 months after acute infection underwent screening of their physical and cognitive function as part of a comprehensive multidisciplinary assessment. Physical function was assessed with the 6-Minute Walk Test, the 30 s Sit-to-Stand Test and by measuring handgrip strength. Cognitive function was assessed with the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry and the Trail Making Test-Part B. Physical impairment was tested by comparing the patients' performance to normative and expected values. Association with cognition was investigated using correlation analyses and the possible explanatory variables regarding physical function were assessed using regression analyses. In total, we included 292 patients, the mean age was 52 (±15) years, 56% were women and 50% had been hospitalised during an acute COVID-19 infection. The prevalence of physical impairment ranged from 23% in functional exercise capacity to 59% in lower extremity muscle strength and function. There was no greater risk of physical impairment in previously hospitalised compared with the non-hospitalised patients. There was a weak to moderate association between physical and cognitive function. The cognitive test scores had statistically significant prediction value for all three outcomes of physical function. In conclusion, physical impairments were prevalent amongst patients assessed for post-COVID-19 condition regardless of their hospitalisation status and these were associated with more cognitive dysfunction.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Cognitive Dysfunction , Humans , Female , Middle Aged , Male , Cross-Sectional Studies , Hand Strength/physiology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cognition/physiology , Cognitive Dysfunction/psychologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 might cause neuroinflammation in the brain, which could decrease neurocognitive function. We aimed to evaluate the causal associations and genetic overlap between COVID-19 and intelligence. METHODS: We performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to assess potential associations between three COVID-19 outcomes and intelligence (N = 269,867). The COVID phenotypes included SARS-CoV-2 infection (N = 2,501,486), hospitalized COVID-19 (N = 1,965,329), and critical COVID-19 (N = 743,167). Genome-wide risk genes were compared between the genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets on hospitalized COVID-19 and intelligence. In addition, functional pathways were constructed to explore molecular connections between COVID-19 and intelligence. RESULTS: The MR analyses indicated that genetic liabilities to SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR: 0.965, 95% CI: 0.939-0.993) and critical COVID-19 (OR: 0.989, 95% CI: 0.979-0.999) confer causal effects on intelligence. There was suggestive evidence supporting the causal effect of hospitalized COVID-19 on intelligence (OR: 0.988, 95% CI: 0.972-1.003). Hospitalized COVID-19 and intelligence share ten risk genes within two genomic loci, including MAPT and WNT3. Enrichment analysis showed that these genes are functionally connected within distinct subnetworks of 30 phenotypes linked to cognitive decline. The functional pathway revealed that COVID-19-driven pathological changes within the brain and multiple peripheral systems may lead to cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that COVID-19 may exert a detrimental effect on intelligence. The tau protein and Wnt signaling may mediate the influence of COVID-19 on intelligence.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The challenge of accounting for practice effects (PEs) when modeling cognitive change was amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which introduced period and mode effects that may bias the estimation of cognitive trajectory. METHODS: In three Kaiser Permanente Northern California prospective cohorts, we compared predicted cognitive trajectories and the association of grip strength with cognitive decline using three approaches: (1) no acknowledgment of PE, (2) inclusion of a wave indicator, and (3) constraining PE based on a preliminary model (APM) fit using a subset of the data. RESULTS: APM-based correction for PEs based on balanced, pre-pandemic data, and with current age as the timescale produced the smallest discrepancy between within-person and between-person estimated age effects. Estimated associations between grip strength and cognitive decline were not sensitive to the approach used. DISCUSSION: Constraining PEs based on a preliminary model is a flexible, pragmatic approach allowing for meaningful interpretation of cognitive change. HIGHLIGHTS: The magnitude of practice effects (PEs) varied widely by study. When PEs were present, the three PE approaches resulted in divergent estimated age-related cognitive trajectories. Estimated age-related cognitive trajectories were sometimes implausible in models that did not account for PEs. The associations between grip strength and cognitive decline did not differ by the PE approach used. Constraining PEs based on estimates from a preliminary model allows for a meaningful interpretation of cognitive change.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence for cognitive function to be negatively impacted by COVID-19. There is, however, limited research evaluating cognitive function pre- and post-COVID-19 using objective measures. METHODS: We examined processing speed, attention, working memory, executive function and memory in adults (≤69 years) with a history of COVID-19 (n = 129, none acutely unwell), compared to those with no known history of COVID-19 (n = 93). We also examined cognitive changes in a sub-group of COVID (n = 30) and non-COVID (n = 33) participants, compared to their pre-COVID-19 pandemic level. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, the COVID group showed significantly larger intra-individual variability in processing speed, compared to the non-COVID group. The COVID sub-group also showed significantly larger intra-individual variability in processing speed, compared to their pre-COVID level; no significant change occurred in non-COVID participants over the same time scale. Other cognitive indices were not significantly impacted in the cross-sectional or within-subjects investigations, but participants (n = 20) who had needed hospitalisation due to COVID-19 showed poor attention and executive function relative to those who had not required hospitalisation (n = 109). Poor health and long-COVID symptoms correlated with poor cognitive function across domains in the COVID group. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate a limited cognitive impact of COVID-19 with only intra-individual variability in processing speed being significantly impacted in an adult UK sample. However, those who required hospitalisation due to COVID-19 severity and/or experience long-COVID symptoms display multifaceted cognitive impairment and may benefit from repeated cognitive assessments and remediation efforts.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Cognition Disorders , Adult , Humans , Processing Speed , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pandemics , Cognition Disorders/psychology , Cognition , Survivors , Neuropsychological TestsABSTRACT
With the rapid development of society, population aging has emerged as a significant global challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of baseline cognitive performance, current cognitive function, and cognitive decline on subsequent depressive symptoms. Data were obtained from participants aged 65 years and older in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), Wave 2014-2018. Of the 7,192 participants in Wave 2014, 1,627 were included in the analysis. Multivariate regressions were conducted to estimate the associations between cognitive measures and depressive symptoms. Our results indicated that baseline cognitive function was not associated with subsequent depressive symptoms, but current cognitive function was. Furthermore, participants who experienced significant cognitive decline were more likely to develop depressive symptoms. Covariates, including marital status, economic status, physical activity, and recreational activity, were also associated with subsequent depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that slowing cognitive decline is an effective strategy for preventing depressive symptoms in older adults, promoting their health and wellbeing.
ABSTRACT
Psychobiotics are a special class of probiotics that have a beneficial effect on human mental health. During the last decade, convincing evidence has emerged that the gut microbiome influences mental health, cognitive abilities (learning and memory), and behavioral processes through neurological, metabolic, hormonal, and immunological signaling pathways. This review provides available information on the mechanisms of regulation of neuroimmune axes by the microbiota, describes the schemes of interaction of the microbiota with the intestinal nervous system and the brain-gut axis, the effect on behavior, cognitive functions and emotions, and discusses the evidence base and current views on the use of psychobiotics as a safe and effective therapeutic alternative to classic psychotropic drugs in depressive and anxiety disorders, stress, autism spectrum disorders, Alzheimer's disease and other conditions.Copyright © 2022, Interregional Association for Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
In 2013, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 13 - 20% of youth living in the United States experiencing a mental health disorder. Research indicated that mental health disorders can negatively affect an individual's cognitive, social, and emotional functions (National Institute of Mental Health, 2018). As a result, students experiencing mental health related stress have high rates of absenteeism (Sahin, Arseven, & Kihc, 2016). Schools have the unparalleled capacity to reach students and offer cognitive, social, and emotional support. This research study worked to answer the question: Can mental health support offered to high school students increase classroom attendance rates? Implementation of a wellness center took place at Cherokee High School in September 2020. The wellness center sign-in data and classroom attendance data were collected and analyzed for 44 days between March 1, 2021, and May 18, 2021, to determine if classroom attendance would increase for wellness center users ten days after a wellness center visit. This ten-day period was known as the enrollment period. The research found that seven of the eight students with a 504-plan associated with mental health related stress increased class attendance 5% or greater during the enrollment period. This study was implemented during the COVID 19 pandemic. The pandemic impeded the remote students' ability to attend the Cherokee Wellness Center. The attendance data collected included full-time in-person students and eliminated the remote students. The research is significant in that classroom attendance data can be increased with the correct student support for mental health related stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection frequently causes neurological symptoms. Cognitive alterations are among the most frequent symptoms, and may persist beyond the acute phase of infection. Method(s): We conducted a narrative review of the literature. Result(s): Hospitalised patients, and especially critically ill patients, are at greater risk of developing cognitive symptoms. Post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms, unlike those associated with other viral illnesses, have been observed in patients with mild infection, and present some atypical features. Cognitive symptoms may last longer in COVID-19 than in other infectious processes, and more frequently affect young people. Post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms share common features with those described in chronic fatigue syndrome, including a similar profile with affective symptoms. Brief screening tests for cognitive impairment present suboptimal diagnostic performance, and standardised criteria are needed to ensure correct diagnosis. Post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment can have a significant impact on the patient's quality of life and functional independence, regardless of other post-COVID-19 symptoms. Currently, no specific treatments have been approved for post-COVID-19 cognitive impairment, although cognitive stimulation may be useful in some patients. Conclusion(s): Post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms are common and are often associated with other systemic symptoms. Neuropsychological evaluation may be useful for diagnosis and to quantify their severity and long-term prognosis. Detailed, and individualised assessment of cognitive impairment may enable the design of treatment plans.Copyright © 2021 Sociedad Espanola de Neurologia
ABSTRACT
The prevalence and etiology of COVID-19's impact on brain health and cognitive function is poorly characterized. With mounting reports of delirium, systemic inflammation, and evidence of neurotropism, a statement on cognitive impairment among COVID-19 cases is needed. A substantial literature has demonstrated that inflammation can severely disrupt brain function, suggesting an immune response, a cytokine storm, as a possible cause of neurocognitive impairments. In this light, the aim of the present study was to summarize the available knowledge of the impact of COVID-19 on cognition (i.e., herein, we broadly define cognition reflecting the reporting on this topic in the literature) during the acute and recovery phases of the disease, in hospitalized patients and outpatients with confirmed COVID-19 status. A systematic review of the literature identified six studies which document the prevalence of cognitive impairment, and one which quantifies deficits after recovery. Pooling the samples of the included studies (total sample n = 644) at three standards of quality produced conservative estimates of cognitive impairment ranging from 43.0 to 66.8% prevalence in hospitalized COVID-19 patients only, as no studies which report on outpatients met criteria for inclusion in the main synthesis. The most common impairment reported was delirium and frequent reports of elevated inflammatory markers suggest etiology. Other studies have demonstrated that the disease involves marked increases in IL-6, TNFα, and IL-1ß; cytokines known to have a profound impact on working memory and attention. Impairment of these cognitive functions is a characteristic aspect of delirium, which suggests these cytokines as key mediators in the etiology of COVID-19 induced cognitive impairments. Researchers are encouraged to assay inflammatory markers to determine the potential role of inflammation in mediating the disturbance of cognitive function in individuals affected by COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the infection of hundreds of millions of individuals over the past 3 years, coupled with millions of deaths. Along with these more acute impacts of infection, a large subset of patients has developed symptoms that collectively comprise "postacute sequelae of COVID-19" (PASC, also known as long COVID), which can persist for months and maybe even years. In this review, we outline the current knowledge on the role of impaired microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis signaling in the development of PASC and the potential mechanisms involved, which may lead to a better understanding of disease progression and treatment options in the future.
Subject(s)
Brain-Gut Axis , COVID-19 , Humans , Pandemics , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , Disease ProgressionABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We estimate the causal effect of social connectedness (i.e., the frequencies of meeting with friends, relatives, or neighbors) on cognitive function (the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Exam) among Korean older adults. METHODS: We used longitudinal panel data collected before and during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) to set up the fixed (FE) or random effect (RE) models. To overcome omitted variable bias or reverse causality, we used COVID-19 pandemic period as an instrumental variable to estimate the causal effect of social connectedness on cognitive function. RESULTS: Social distancing measures during the COVID-19 period decreased social interaction. The results showed that an increase in the frequency of social interaction led an increase in cognitive scores. Specifically, an increase of one unit in the frequency of meeting familiar people increased cognitive scores by 0.1470 and 0.5035 in the RE and FE models, respectively. CONCLUSION: Social distancing policies due to the global pandemic may have increased the risk of social isolation and cognitive decline among older adults. The government and local communities need to increase their effort to develop way to connect adults through the remainder of the pandemic and beyond.
ABSTRACT
Frailty is a state of increased vulnerability to stress resulting from physiological decline associated with aging. Topics of hypertension management and its association with frailty and cognitive function, recent studies of coronavirus disease 2019 infection (COVID-19) in elderly is discussed in this narrative review. While various guidelines for hypertension recommend that frailty is taken into account in treatment decisions, specific assessment tools and clinical decision criteria have not been explicitly established. Hypertension is prevalent in frail individuals, although a direct association has not been reported. Therefore, optimal blood pressure (BP) control is critical for managing cardiovascular risk reduction and preserving quality of life in frail hypertensive patients. BP typically decreases in later life or situations in which patients are dependent on nursing care. Mortality is reported to be high among frail patients with lower BP, raising questions about appropriate BP targets for frail patients. Cognitive decline is one of the domains of frailty, and is associated with a loss of autonomy, lack of self-management, and compromised quality of life. It remains to be clarified whether antihypertensive treatment is beneficial for cognitive function especially in older individuals. Increased severity and mortality of COVID-19 infection has been reported in older people. Clinical manifestations and biomarkers particular to older patients, and lifestyle changes including social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic is reported. From the knowledge from recent literatures, future perspectives for holistic approach and management of frail older people is addressed.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Frailty , Hypertension , Humans , Aged , Frailty/complications , Pandemics , Quality of Life , Frail Elderly , Hypertension/complications , Hypertension/drug therapy , Hypertension/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The healthcare field, a well-known field associated with variety of stressors, leaves healthcare professionals at an increased risk of both physical and mental problems. COVID-19 pandemic has recently been added to the stressful factors by endangering further the cognitive function of healthcare workers. On another hand, personality traits have been shown to have pervasive associations with functioning across various cognitive domains. Thus, this study aims to evaluate association between personality traits and perceived cognitive function among healthcare professionals in Lebanon during the collapsing period (following the severe economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2021 and January 2022 enrolled 406 Lebanese participants using the convenience sampling technique for data collection. Healthcare professionals from all specialties who received the online link to the survey were eligible to participate. The Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2) and Fact Cog scale were used to assess personality traits and cognitive function. RESULTS: After adjustment over all variables (age, gender, household crowding index, physical activity index, marital status, profession and the other four personality traits), higher negative emotionality was significantly associated with a worse cognitive function, whereas more extroversion and conscientiousness were significantly associated with a better cognitive function. CONCLUSION: Our study adds to the narrow body of research revolving around the relationship between personality traits and perceived cognitive function in Lebanese healthcare professionals during these hard times in Lebanon. These results show that the choice of these cognitive processes is strongly affected by different personality traits, such as extroversion, conscientiousness, and negative emotionality. This study encourages the need to conduct further research that assess the changes in cognition in life stressors along with personality traits.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Personality , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pandemics , Crowding , Family Characteristics , Cognition , Health Personnel , Delivery of Health CareABSTRACT
Long COVID refers to the lingering symptoms which persist or appear after the acute illness. The dominant long COVID symptoms in the two years since the pandemic began (2020-2021) have been depression, anxiety, fatigue, concentration and cognitive impairments with few reports of psychosis. Whether other symptoms will appear later on is not yet known. For example, dopamine-dependent movement disorders generally take many years before first symptoms are seen. Post-stroke depression and anxiety may explain many of the early long COVID cases. Hemorrhagic, hypoxic and inflammatory damages of the central nervous system, unresolved systematic inflammation, metabolic impairment, cerebral vascular accidents such as stroke, hypoxia from pulmonary damages and fibrotic changes are among the major causes of long COVID. Glucose metabolic and hypoxic brain issues likely predispose subjects with pre-existing diabetes, cardiovascular or lung problems to long COVID as well. Preliminary data suggest that psychotropic medications may not be a danger but could instead be beneficial in combating COVID-19 infection. The same is true for diabetes medications such as metformin. Thus, a focus on sigma-1 receptor ligands and glucose metabolism is expected to be useful for new drug development as well as the repurposing of current drugs. The reported protective effects of psychotropics and antihistamines against COVID-19, the earlier reports of reduced number of sigma-1 receptors in post-mortem schizophrenic brains, with many antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs being antihistamines with significant affinity for the sigma-1 receptor, support the role of sigma and histamine receptors in neuroinflammation and viral infections. Literature and data in all these areas are accumulating at a fast rate. We reviewed and discussed the relevant and important literature.