Long-Term Sequelae in Young Convalescent COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

As of March 2022, over 78 million cases of COVID-19 and 900,000 deaths have been reported in the United States. The consequences in the acute phase due to the SARS-COV-2 infection are well defined. Beyond the direct effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) involving the lung parenchyma, the post-viral complications within the central nervous system are still largely unknown, and a comprehensive evaluation regarding the long-term neuropsychological sequelae from this disease is not well characterized. An increasing number of patients previously diagnosed with COVID-19 have now presented with ongoing symptoms of inattention, executive function, and memory difficulties. These symptoms are collectively and commonly known by the public as ‘brain fog’, with many expressing concerns over their inability to engage in the workplace due to these symptoms. Here, we describe three patients who were seen in the Memory Disorders Clinic at Duke University to characterize the long-term neuropsychological symptoms, neuropsychological test results and brain MRI findings after infection with SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of patients under the age of 60.