Neurocognitive and Psychological Profile of a 57-Year-Old Long-COVID Patient After 42 Days an a Ventilator

ABSTRACT

Objective: The neuropsychological impact of COVID-19 is a budding area of research. Studies suggest greater neurological abnormalities in patients presenting with a severe illness course, particularly those with acute respiratory distress syndrome. The purpose of this case study was to characterize the neurocognitive and psychological profile of a 57-year-old male following prolonged hospitalization for COVID-19 in March 2020, including 42 days on mechanical ventilation. Method: Relevant data were collected via clinical interview, neuropsychological testing, and medical record review. Hospital course was notable for hypertension, acute kidney failure, and pressure ulcers. Computerized tomography and electroencephalogram revealed mild cortical atrophy and mild to moderate generalized slowing, respectively. Approximately 15 months post-discharge, subjective complaints during the evaluation included cognitive "fogginess," increased impulsivity, decreased frustration tolerance, forgetfulness, fatigue, mobility difficulties, and dyspnea upon exertion. Results: Neuropsychological testing, within the context of likely average premorbid functioning, revealed declines in motor functioning, confrontation naming, phonemic fluency, planning/organization, visual memory, and aspects of verbal memory. Poor performance on select memory tasks was likely driven by executive dysfunction. Behaviorally, the patient presented as disinhibited, impulsive and labile. Emotionally, he endorsed symptoms of posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. These post-COVID-19 sequelae have impacted functioning across multiple domains including ability to work, medication and finance management, and complex decision-making. Conclusions: Results suggest bilateral frontal and temporal dysfunction rather than subcortical deficits from hypoxia. Similar to post-intensive care syndrome, the etiology of functional impairment in severely ill, hospitalized COVID-19 patients appears multifactorial. Likely mediating factors include COVID-19 itself, associated complications, intervention methods, and psychological distress. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)