Abstract

Background: Post COVID-19 infection effects on cognitive impairment are a significant concern, particularly given the varying reports of impairment across specific cognitive domains in different populations. With India ranking high in confirmed cases and COVID-19-related fatalities and considering the scarcity of studies on cognitive health impacts, it becomes imperative to comprehend the Indian perspective. The current study aims to address this need by examining the effect of COVID-19 infection on cognition in an Indian aging cohort.
Methods: Data for this study was derived from the ongoing TATA Longitudinal Study of Aging in urban Bangalore, India. The dataset includes cognitive and clinical information for 72 participants both before (from January 2018 to December 2019) and after the COVID-19 outbreak (from January 2020 to December 2021). These individuals self-reported a history of COVID-19 infection. Cognitive performance was assessed using Addenbrook’s Cognitive Examination- ACE-III and Hindi Mental State Examination (HMSE) scores among these 72 individuals before and after COVID-19 infection.
Results: Unadjusted ACE memory scores significantly declined (p=0.02) while the language skills improved in post-COVID-19 infection. Other cognitive measures showed no significant differences between pre- and post-COVID-19 infection, whereas the linear mixed-effects model suggested no notable impact of COVID-19 on cognitive decline.
Conclusion: This study lays the groundwork for further exploration of protective elements lifestyle impacts and the intricate relationship between COVID-19 and cognitive health in elderly population.

Keywords:COVID-19; Cognition; India; Elderly