Summary of Psychological Issues Like Anxiety and Depression May Play a Role in Long COVID:
New research from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) suggests that individuals who report cognitive difficulties, such as memory problems, during the COVID-19 pandemic are more likely to have persistent physical symptoms of the disease than those who did not report such cognitive issues. Over a third of those struggling with long-term symptoms of COVID-19 have reported cognitive difficulties, which have been linked to increased anxiety and depression. The findings indicate that psychological issues may affect some people experiencing long COVID. The study surveyed 766 patients enrolled in UCLA’s SARS-CoV-2 Ambulatory Program who had confirmed symptomatic COVID infection and had either been hospitalized or treated as outpatients.
*****
UCLA Research Links Cognitive Difficulties During COVID-19 to Physical Manifestations of Long COVID
New research from UCLA indicates that individuals who experienced cognitive difficulties, such as memory problems, during the COVID-19 pandemic are more likely to have persistent physical symptoms of the disease, called long COVID, than those who did not report such cognitive issues. The study surveyed 766 patients enrolled in UCLA’s SARS-CoV-2 Ambulatory Program who had confirmed symptomatic COVID infection and found that 36.1% of the patients perceived cognitive difficulties during the acute illness or in the following weeks. These patients were twice as likely as those without perceived cognitive deficits to report experiencing physical symptoms at 60 and 90 days following hospital discharge or a positive COVID test for outpatients.
Cognitive Deficits Associated with Anxiety and Depression
The study’s findings suggest that psychological issues, such as anxiety and depressive disorders, may exacerbate some people’s experience of long COVID. Perceptions of cognitive deficits have been linked to increased anxiety and depression, indicating that affective issues likely play a part in long COVID. The study’s senior author Dr. Neil Wenger said, “This is not to say that long COVID is all in one’s head, but that it is likely not a single condition, and that for some proportion of patients, there is likely a component of anxiety or depression that is exacerbated by the disease.”
Long COVID Symptoms Persist in Over a Third of Patients
Long COVID is described as experiencing persistent symptoms of COVID-19 more than four weeks after the initial infection. Over a third of individuals struggling with long-term symptoms of COVID-19 have reported cognitive difficulties, including memory problems. The researchers aimed to determine whether there was a link between perceived mental issues during the acute COVID illness and later physical manifestations of long COVID. Patients were surveyed by telephone at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days after hospital discharge or a positive COVID test for outpatients to ascertain if they felt their health was back to normal.
Limitations of the Findings
The study has some limitations that the researchers note. The survey relied on subjective responses about cognitive deficits, and the researchers did not have data on participants’ cognition, depression, and anxiety before COVID infection. In addition, the findings may not apply to other patient cohorts, given that participants were treated at an academic medical center, and physicians referred them based on their belief that the patients were at clinically high risk for cognitive deficits. Nonetheless, the findings “may help us disentangle the complex construct that is PCC,” the researchers write.
Conclusion
Cognitive difficulties during COVID-19 may be linked to persistent physical symptoms of long COVID, according to new research from UCLA. The findings suggest that affective issues, such as anxiety and depressive disorders, may exacerbate some patients’ experience of long COVID. However, the condition is likely not a single state for all patients. The perception of cognitive deficits may indicate a psychological component of long COVID for at least some patients. Further research is needed to determine the exact interactions between mental and physical symptoms of long COVID.
