Perception of stress and cognitive efficiency in older adults with mild and moderate dementia during the COVID-19-related lockdown

• Published in: Journal of psychosomatic research Vol. 149; p. 110584
• Main Authors: Paolini, Simone, Devita, Maria, Epifania, Ottavia M., Anselmi, Pasquale, Sergi, Giuseppe, Mapelli, Daniela, Coin, Alessandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.10.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Cognitive efficiency; Cognitive functioning; Communicable Disease Control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; Dementia; Dementia - psychology; Dementia disorders; Female; Humans; Intelligence; Lockdown; Male; Mini-Mental State Examination; Neurodegenerative diseases; Older adults; Older people; Pandemics; Perceived stress; Psychological profiles; Questionnaires; Stress; Stress, Psychological; Cognitive efficiency; Lockdown; Covid-19; Perceived stress; Older adults; Dementia
• ISSN: 0022-3999; 1879-1360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2021.110584

Many studies have been carried out with the aim of understanding the manifold effects of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) on individuals' clinical and psychological states. This paper deals with perceived stress (PS) and cognitive efficiency (CE) in older adults with dementia during the first wave of the pandemic. The study also investigated the potential effects of PS and CE on participants' cognitive functioning. The modulating effect of cognitive reserve (CR) on these variables was also considered, given its well-known role in the onset and evolution of neurodegenerative diseases. Thirty-eight older adults with mild/moderate dementia (mean age: 81.47 ± 5.05; mean MMSE pre-lockdown: 24.03 ± 3.14) were recruited for this study from March to May [4]. Two questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the FLEI Mental Ability Questionnaire (FLEI), were administered to all participants by telephone every two weeks during lockdown (T1: early April, T2: mid-April, T3: early May). After lockdown, their neuropsychological and psychological profiles were assessed. Linear mixed-effects models were used to investigate changes over time. The level of PS increased at both Time 2 and Time 3 (f2 = 0.10). Cognitive functioning worsened during lockdown, resulting in lower scores at the post-lockdown evaluation (f2s = 0.09 and 0.06 for MMSE and ENB-2, respectively). The decrease in these scores was not associated with either PS or CE. Although the size of these effects was rather small, their clinical relevance is not negligible. Individuals with dementia seem to have experienced stress (S) during the first-wave of lockdown related to Covid-19. Cognition worsened during the pandemic, in accordance with the neurodegenerative nature of the disease, but it was unrelated to PS and CE. •During the Covid-19 Italian lockdown, individuals with dementia experienced stress.•Perceived stress was significantly associated with individuals' cognitive reserve.•Higher level of perceived cognitive efficiency was observed at the end of lockdown.•Cognition worsened during the pandemic, according to the neurodegenerative disease.•The cognitive worsening was not associated with stress or cognitive efficiency.