May 5, 2023

expert reaction to study looking at perceived cognitive deficits in patients with symptomatic Covid and their association with long Covid

A study published in JAMA Network Open looks at perceived cognitive deficits in patients with symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 and their association with post–COVID-19 condition.

Dr Michael Zandi, Consultant Neurologist, UCL, said:

“The authors present a study looking at factors that go hand in hand with memory and other cognitive symptoms after Covid, and show that these symptoms are common and can predict the development of long covid.  The authors show an association between the presence of cognitive symptoms and the presence of preceding depression and anxiety symptoms and also with other long covid symptoms.  Correlation is not causation, and while psychological factors are important to address where present in patients after Covid, we cannot assume that cognitive symptoms are caused by these factors alone.  There is an urgent need to understand the biology underlying these symptoms to allow selection of patients for treatments in drug trials in parallel with appropriate rehabilitation.”

‘Perceived Cognitive Deficits in Patients With Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 and Their Association With Post–COVID-19 Condition’ by Teresa C. Liu et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Friday 5 May 2023.

DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.11974

Declared interests

Dr Michael Zandi: “I am involved in Covid (COVID CNS study) and long Covid (STIMULATE ICP trial, MODEL COV) research, but have no financial interests in these nor in any companies or covid treatments.  I see patients with long covid neurological symptoms as part of the UCLH service.”

For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.