Cognitive remediation therapy for post-acute persistent cognitive deficits in COVID-19 survivors: A proof-of-concept study

• Published in: Neuropsychological rehabilitation Vol. 33; no. 7; pp. 1207 - 1224
• Main Authors: Palladini, Mariagrazia, Bravi, Beatrice, Colombo, Federica, Caselani, Elisa, Di Pasquasio, Camilla, D'Orsi, Greta, Rovere-Querini, Patrizia, Poletti, Sara, Benedetti, Francesco, Mazza, Mario Gennaro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 09.08.2023; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Subjects: Civil Engineering; Cognitive ability; Cognitive functioning; Cognitive impairment; Cognitive remediation therapy; Coordination; COVID-19; Depression; Efficacy; Engineering Sciences; Executive function; Fluency; Functional impairment; Human health and pathology; Life Sciences; Mental depression; Neurological diseases; Psychiatrics and mental health; Quality of life; Rehabilitation; SARS-CoV-2; Short term memory; Survivor; Depression; SARS-CoV-2; Covid-19; Cognitive remediation therapy; Cognitive impairment
• ISSN: 0960-2011; 1464-0694
• DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2022.2075016

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 (χ 2  = 7.20, p = 0.007) and executive functions (χ 2  = 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.