Cognitive remediation therapy for post-acute persistent cognitive deficits in COVID-19 survivors: A proof-of-concept study
Mariagrazia Palladini, B. Bravi, Federica Colombo, Elisa Caselani, Camilla Di Pasquasio, Greta D’Orsi, Patrizia Rovere‐Querini, Sara Poletti, Francesco Benedetti, Mario Gennaro Mazza
Abstract
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 (χ2 = 7.20, p = 0.007) and executive functions (χ2 = 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.