Are There Any Cognitive and Behavioral Changes Potentially Related to Quarantine Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment and AD Dementia? A Longitudinal Study

Marianna Tsatali; Despina Moraitou; Eleni Poptsi; Eleni Sia; Christina Agogiatou; Moses Gialaouzidis; Irene-Maria Tabakis; Konstantina Avdikou; Evaggelia Bakoglidou; Georgia Batsila; Dimitrios Bekiaridis-Moschou; Ourania Chatziroumpi; Alexandra Diamantidou; Andromachi Gavra; Eleni Kouroundi; Despina Liapi; Nefeli Markou; Fani Ouzouni; Chrysa Papasozomenou; Aikaterini Soumpourou; Magdalini Tsolaki

doi:10.3390/brainsci11091165

Are There Any Cognitive and Behavioral Changes Potentially Related to Quarantine Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment and AD Dementia? A Longitudinal Study

Brain Sci. 2021 Aug 31;11(9):1165. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11091165.

Authors

Marianna Tsatali^{1

2}, Despina Moraitou^{1

2

3}, Eleni Poptsi^{1

2

3}, Eleni Sia¹, Christina Agogiatou¹, Moses Gialaouzidis¹, Irene-Maria Tabakis¹, Konstantina Avdikou¹, Evaggelia Bakoglidou¹, Georgia Batsila¹, Dimitrios Bekiaridis-Moschou¹, Ourania Chatziroumpi¹, Alexandra Diamantidou¹, Andromachi Gavra¹, Eleni Kouroundi¹, Despina Liapi¹, Nefeli Markou¹, Fani Ouzouni¹, Chrysa Papasozomenou¹, Aikaterini Soumpourou¹, Magdalini Tsolaki^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Greek Association of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD), 54643 Thessaloniki, Greece.
² Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Diseases, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTh) Balkan Center, Buildings A & B, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 57001 Thessaloni, Greece.
³ Lab of Psychology, Section of Experimental & Cognitive Psychology, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.
⁴ 1st Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine potential cognitive, mood (depression and anxiety) and behavioral changes that may be related to the quarantine and the lockdown applied during the COVID-19 pandemic in Greek older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD dementia in mild and moderate stages.

Method: 407 older adults, diagnosed either with MCI or AD dementia (ADD), were recruited from the Day Centers of the Greek Association of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD). Neuropsychological assessment was performed at baseline (at the time of diagnosis) between May and July of 2018, as well as for two consecutive follow-up assessments, identical in period, in 2019 and 2020. The majority of participants had participated in non-pharmacological interventions during 2018 as well as 2019, whereas all of them continued their participation online in 2020.

Results: Mixed measures analysis of variance showed that participants' 'deterioration difference-D' by means of their performance difference in neuropsychological assessments between 2018-2019 (D1) and 2019-2020 (D2) did not change, except for the FUCAS, RAVLT, and phonemic fluency tests, since both groups resulted in a larger deterioration difference (D2) in these tests. Additionally, three path models examining the direct relationships between performance in tests measuring mood, as well as everyday functioning and cognitive measures, showed that participants' worsened performance in the 2019 and 2020 assessments was strongly affected by NPI performance, in sharp contrast to the 2018 assessment.

Discussion: During the lockdown period, MCI and ADD patients' neuropsychological performance did not change, except from the tests measuring verbal memory, learning, and phonemic fluency, as well as everyday functioning. However, the natural progression of the MCI as well as ADD condition is the main reason for participants' deterioration. Mood performance became increasingly closely related to cognition and everyday functioning. Hence, the role of quarantine and AD progression are discussed as potential factors associated with impairments.

Keywords: cognitive status; coronavirus-19 pandemic; effect of quarantine in older adults; everyday functioning; mood status.