A hypoarousal model of neurological post-COVID syndrome: the relation between mental fatigue, the level of central nervous activation and cognitive processing speed
Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
Standard
A hypoarousal model of neurological post-COVID syndrome : the relation between mental fatigue, the level of central nervous activation and cognitive processing speed. / Martin, Eva Maria; Rupprecht, Sven; Schrenk, Simon; Kattlun, Fabian; Utech, Isabelle; Radscheidt, Monique; Brodoehl, Stefan; Schwab, Matthias; Reuken, Philipp A.; Stallmach, Andreas; Habekost, Thomas; Finke, Kathrin.
I: Journal of Neurology, Bind 270, 10.2023, s. 4647-4660.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Author
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - A hypoarousal model of neurological post-COVID syndrome
T2 - the relation between mental fatigue, the level of central nervous activation and cognitive processing speed
AU - Martin, Eva Maria
AU - Rupprecht, Sven
AU - Schrenk, Simon
AU - Kattlun, Fabian
AU - Utech, Isabelle
AU - Radscheidt, Monique
AU - Brodoehl, Stefan
AU - Schwab, Matthias
AU - Reuken, Philipp A.
AU - Stallmach, Andreas
AU - Habekost, Thomas
AU - Finke, Kathrin
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/10
Y1 - 2023/10
N2 - Background: Knowledge on the nature of post-COVID neurological sequelae often manifesting as cognitive dysfunction and fatigue is still unsatisfactory. Objectives: We assumed that cognitive dysfunction and fatigue in post-COVID syndrome are critically linked via hypoarousal of the brain. Thus, we assessed whether tonic alertness as a neurocognitive index of arousal is reduced in these patients and how this relates to the level of central nervous activation and subjective mental fatigue as further indices of arousal. Methods: 40 post-COVID patients with subjective cognitive dysfunction and 40 matched healthy controls underwent a whole-report paradigm of briefly presented letter arrays. Based on report performance and computational modelling according to the theory of visual attention, the parameter visual processing speed (VPS) was quantified as a proxy of tonic alertness. Pupillary unrest was assessed as a measure of central nervous activation. The Fatigue Assessment Scale was applied to assess subjective mental fatigue using the corresponding subscale. Results: VPS was reduced in post-COVID patients compared to controls (p = 0.005). In these patients, pupillary unrest (p = 0.029) and mental fatigue (p = 0.001) predicted VPS, explaining 34% of the variance and yielding a large effect with f 2 = 0.51. Conclusion: In post-COVID patients with subjective cognitive dysfunction, hypoarousal of the brain is reflected in decreased processing speed which is explained by a reduced level of central nervous activation and a higher level of mental fatigue. In turn, reduced processing speed objectifies mental fatigue as a core subjective clinical complaint in post-COVID patients.
AB - Background: Knowledge on the nature of post-COVID neurological sequelae often manifesting as cognitive dysfunction and fatigue is still unsatisfactory. Objectives: We assumed that cognitive dysfunction and fatigue in post-COVID syndrome are critically linked via hypoarousal of the brain. Thus, we assessed whether tonic alertness as a neurocognitive index of arousal is reduced in these patients and how this relates to the level of central nervous activation and subjective mental fatigue as further indices of arousal. Methods: 40 post-COVID patients with subjective cognitive dysfunction and 40 matched healthy controls underwent a whole-report paradigm of briefly presented letter arrays. Based on report performance and computational modelling according to the theory of visual attention, the parameter visual processing speed (VPS) was quantified as a proxy of tonic alertness. Pupillary unrest was assessed as a measure of central nervous activation. The Fatigue Assessment Scale was applied to assess subjective mental fatigue using the corresponding subscale. Results: VPS was reduced in post-COVID patients compared to controls (p = 0.005). In these patients, pupillary unrest (p = 0.029) and mental fatigue (p = 0.001) predicted VPS, explaining 34% of the variance and yielding a large effect with f 2 = 0.51. Conclusion: In post-COVID patients with subjective cognitive dysfunction, hypoarousal of the brain is reflected in decreased processing speed which is explained by a reduced level of central nervous activation and a higher level of mental fatigue. In turn, reduced processing speed objectifies mental fatigue as a core subjective clinical complaint in post-COVID patients.
KW - Arousal
KW - Cognitive dysfunction
KW - Fatigue
KW - Post-COVID
KW - Pupillary unrest
KW - Tonic alertness
U2 - 10.1007/s00415-023-11819-7
DO - 10.1007/s00415-023-11819-7
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 37356025
AN - SCOPUS:85162872821
VL - 270
SP - 4647
EP - 4660
JO - Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Nervenheilkunde
JF - Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Nervenheilkunde
SN - 0939-1517
ER -
ID: 367906194