INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 09 Program Schedule 02/16/2024 03:30 pm - 04:45 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 09: Epilepsy \| Oncology \| MS \| Infectious Disease Final Abstract #87 Correlation of Self-Reported Memory Challenges and Recall Performance on the RAVLT in Long COVID Patients Ronnise Owens, Mercer University, Atlanta, United States Sherly Smith, Mercer University, Atlanta, United States Michelle Haddad, Emory University, Atlanta, United States Category: Infectious Disease (HIV/COVID/Hepatitis/Viruses) Keyword 1: memory complaints Keyword 2: cognitive functioning Keyword 3: attention Objective: Among patients diagnosed with COVID-19, existing literature has identified a proportion of patients who experience a range of ongoing health problems that can last for weeks, months, or years, collectively termed ‘long COVID’. Literature also suggests patients with long COVID may experience ongoing cognitive symptoms with primary subjective complaints of memory challenges. However, as neuropsychological research and intervention continues to develop, it is important to further understand whether long COVID patients self-reporting memory challenges are describing their functional difficulties accurately, or whether they may be mischaracterizing difficulties caused by deficits in other domains. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess long COVID patients’ self-reported memory difficulties and whether or not they are correlated with objective deficits in memory using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Participants and Methods: Fifty participants (Age M= 48.6 ± 12.19; 20% male, 80% female; 52% White, 38% Black, 10% Other) were selected from data collection of neuropsychological performance in adults with long COVID symptoms. Patients were recruited and assessed as part of a larger scale IRB-approved database which is designed to better understand the neurocognitive, physiological, and psychosocial trajectories of adults with long COVID symptoms within Emory Rehabilitation Hospital’s Post-COVID Neuropsychology Clinic. Results: An independent samples t-test revealed a significant difference between a group of patients with reported memory concerns and the short delay domain of the RAVLT (M = 1.18; SD = .61; p = .045). There was no significant difference between patients with reported memory concerns and the recall domain of the RAVLT (M = .77; SD = .67; p = .075). Conclusions: Analyses indicate a statistically significant difference between the group of patients with reported memory concerns and performance on the short delay domain of the RAVLT, which may reflect difficulty with learning/encoding of novel information. However, there is no statistical difference on the recall domain of the RAVLT. These findings may indicate that subjective memory concerns are more likely to be related to problems with attention and encoding, rather than recalling previously-learned information. These findings add to the limited literature on subjective memory concerns and cognitive deficits in patients with long COVID.

Poster

02/16/2024
03:30 pm - 04:45 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 09: Epilepsy | Oncology | MS | Infectious Disease

Final Abstract #87

Correlation of Self-Reported Memory Challenges and Recall Performance on the RAVLT in Long COVID Patients

Ronnise Owens, Mercer University, Atlanta, United States
Sherly Smith, Mercer University, Atlanta, United States
Michelle Haddad, Emory University, Atlanta, United States

Category: Infectious Disease (HIV/COVID/Hepatitis/Viruses)

Keyword 1: memory complaints
Keyword 2: cognitive functioning
Keyword 3: attention

Objective:

Among patients diagnosed with COVID-19, existing literature has identified a proportion of patients who experience a range of ongoing health problems that can last for weeks, months, or years, collectively termed ‘long COVID’. Literature also suggests patients with long COVID may experience ongoing cognitive symptoms with primary subjective complaints of memory challenges. However, as neuropsychological research and intervention continues to develop, it is important to further understand whether long COVID patients self-reporting memory challenges are describing their functional difficulties accurately, or whether they may be mischaracterizing difficulties caused by deficits in other domains. Therefore, this study is aimed to assess long COVID patients’ self-reported memory difficulties and whether or not they are correlated with objective deficits in memory using the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT).

Participants and Methods:

Fifty participants (Age M= 48.6 ± 12.19; 20% male, 80% female; 52% White, 38% Black, 10% Other) were selected from data collection of neuropsychological performance in adults with long COVID symptoms. Patients were recruited and assessed as part of a larger scale IRB-approved database which is designed to better understand the neurocognitive, physiological, and psychosocial trajectories of adults with long COVID symptoms within Emory Rehabilitation Hospital’s Post-COVID Neuropsychology Clinic.

Results:

An independent samples t-test revealed a significant difference between a group of patients with reported memory concerns and the short delay domain of the RAVLT (M = 1.18; SD = .61; p = .045). There was no significant difference between patients with reported memory concerns and the recall domain of the RAVLT (M = .77; SD = .67; p = .075).

Conclusions:

Analyses indicate a statistically significant difference between the group of patients with reported memory concerns and performance on the short delay domain of the RAVLT, which may reflect difficulty with learning/encoding of novel information. However, there is no statistical difference on the recall domain of the RAVLT. These findings may indicate that subjective memory concerns are more likely to be related to problems with attention and encoding, rather than recalling previously-learned information. These findings add to the limited literature on subjective memory concerns and cognitive deficits in patients with long COVID.