Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News May 30, 2024 1 month, 4 weeks, 27 minutes ago
COVID-19 News: As the world grapples with the long-term effects of COVID-19, understanding the factors that influence recovery is crucial. One of the most significant yet often overlooked aspects is sleep quality. A recent study conducted by several prestigious institutions in Spain, including Hospital Universitari Santa Maria and Universitat de Barcelona that is covered in this
COVID-19 News report, sheds light on how poor sleep quality can exacerbate cognitive deficits in individuals recovering from COVID-19.
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Assessing Cognitive Impairment Post-COVID-19
The study involved 373 individuals with post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC) and 126 healthy controls. Researchers utilized a comprehensive neuropsychological battery and various questionnaires to assess the participants' cognitive functions and sleep quality. The primary tool for measuring sleep quality was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while cognitive performance was evaluated using several metrics, including the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), the Chadler Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ), the Cognitive Reserve Questionnaire (CRC), and the Memory Failures of Everyday Questionnaire (MFE-30).
Key Findings
The study found that PCC participants with poor sleep quality had a 4.3% greater risk of immediate verbal memory deficits compared to those with good sleep quality. The risk of these deficits was even higher when factoring in low quality of life and cognitive reserve. Poor sleep quality also significantly impacted processing speed, with a 6.7% greater risk of deficits as subjective cognitive complaints increased.
The Relationship Between Sleep and Cognition
-Cognitive Domains Affected
The cognitive domains most affected by poor sleep quality in PCC participants included immediate and delayed verbal memory, delayed visual memory, and processing speed. These findings align with previous research that has shown a strong relationship between sleep quality and cognitive function.
-Sleep Quality as a Moderator
Interestingly, the study also explored the moderating effects of various factors on the relationship between sleep quality and cognition. Quality of life, cognitive reserve, and everyday memory failures were found to significantly influence cognitive performance in those with poor sleep quality. For example, a higher cognitive reserve was associated with a reduced risk of delayed visual memory deficits.
Comparing Cognitive Performance
-Severity of PCC and Cognitive Impairment
The study revealed notable differences in cognitive performance between PCC participants and healthy controls. Those with mild PCC exhibited greater impairments in executive functions and semantic fluency, while hospitalized and ICU PCC participants showed worse performance in v
erbal memory. ICU participants also had more significant deficits in attention, processing speed, working memory, and emotion recognition.
-Impact of Poor Sleep Quality
PCC participants with poor sleep quality had worse cognitive performance across several domains. The risk of immediate verbal memory deficits and slowed processing speed was particularly pronounced, highlighting the critical role of sleep in cognitive recovery.
Implications for Treatment
The findings suggest that improving sleep quality could be a key strategy in mitigating cognitive deficits in PCC individuals. Interventions aimed at enhancing sleep, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia or other sleep aids, could potentially reduce the cognitive impairments associated with poor sleep quality.
Limitations and Future Research
While the study provides valuable insights, it has some limitations. The reliance on subjective measures of sleep quality and the cross-sectional nature of the study limit the ability to draw causal conclusions. Future research should include objective sleep measurements and longitudinal designs to better understand the long-term effects of sleep quality on cognitive recovery post-COVID-19.
Conclusion
This study underscores the significant impact of poor sleep quality on cognitive functions in individuals recovering from COVID-19. By identifying sleep quality as a potential trigger for cognitive deficits and highlighting the moderating effects of factors like quality of life and cognitive reserve, the research points to the importance of addressing sleep disturbances in therapeutic strategies. As the world continues to deal with the aftermath of the pandemic, improving sleep quality may prove to be a vital component in aiding cognitive recovery for those affected by PCC.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Frontiers in Psychology.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1382875/full
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