The study objective was to quantify the neuropsychological impact of patients living with long COVID and their quality of life.

Long COVID is defined as the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms beyond the 12-week mark. Symptoms range from fatigue and anxiety to debilitating neurological symptoms, notably memory loss and brain fog, which are collectively referred to as neurological post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (Neuro-PASC). The symptoms are often non-specific, and with no diagnostic test available, it can be challenging to diagnose.

We used a cross-sectional design in which 26 participants with Neuro-PASC and 15 controls were administered anxiety, depression, fatigue, autonomy, and quality of life questionnaires. They were assessed for cognitive impairments using the Dépistage Cognitif du Québec (DCQ) scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination scale (MMSE).

The most common symptoms reported by Neuro-PASC patients were intellectual fatigue (96%) and brain fog (92%). 92% of patients reported having cognitive problems, however, there were no statistically significant differences in their MMSE and overall DCQ scores compared to controls. 38% of Neuro-PASC patients had a history of depression and 35% a history of anxiety compared to 20% and 7% for controls, respectively. We found a statistically significant increase in depression, anxiety, and fatigue scores compared to controls. Notably, those with a clinical history of depression and anxiety scored significantly higher.

Neuro-PASC patients more often reported a history of psychiatric illness and had higher levels of depression and anxiety compared to controls on standardized tests. Even though self-reported cognitive problems were high, no statistically significant differences were found during cognitive tests. We believe that in some patients, Neuro-PASC could manifest itself primarily as a psychiatric impairment and that depression could worsen the patient's perception of their cognitive problems.