# Long-COVID and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: a preliminary comparison of neuropsychological performance

## TL;DR

This study compares cognitive performance in long-COVID and POTS patients, finding that anxiety and depression may influence cognitive test results.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into cognitive differences in long-COVID and POTS patients after accounting for anxiety and depression.

## Key findings

- Long-COVID and POTS patients showed lower cognitive performance than healthy controls.
- Anxiety and depression levels were higher in long-COVID patients without a confirmed test.
- Adjusting for anxiety and depression reduced some cognitive differences but revealed new ones between long-COVID and POTS.

## Abstract

The aim of the study is to analyze and compare the cognitive profile between 59 patients with long-COVID [LC; 30 of them with and 29 without a positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) confirmatory test] and 31 patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and a matched group of 39 healthy control participants.

Participants were examined on a battery of neuropsychological tests, including verbal memory, visuospatial abilities, attention, processing speed, verbal fluency, working memory, and visual memory. Anxious–depressive symptomatology was also analyzed and then controlled for possible influence on cognitive performance.

Patients with LC and POTS showed significantly lower performance compared with healthy peers. Differences on anxious and depressive symptoms were also found between the clinical and control groups, resulting in LC without a positive confirmatory test group exhibiting the highest rates of anxious symptoms. After controlling the effects of anxious–depressive symptomatology, the differences were eliminated for some of the cognitive variables, but additional differences were found between patients with LC and POTS after post hoc analysis.

Findings from the present study contribute toward the reinforcement of the evidence on cognitive alterations associated with LC and POTS. Anxious–depressive symptomatology has to be considered in both clinical groups since it could be affecting cognitive performance.