Cognitive Dysfunction of Chikungunya Virus Infection in Older Adults

Vanessa Giffoni M N P Peixoto; Julianna P Azevedo; Kleber G Luz; Katie M Almondes

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.823218

Cognitive Dysfunction of Chikungunya Virus Infection in Older Adults

Front Psychiatry. 2022 Apr 5:13:823218. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.823218. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Vanessa Giffoni M N P Peixoto^{1

2}, Julianna P Azevedo³, Kleber G Luz^{4

5}, Katie M Almondes^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Post-graduation Program in Psychobiology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
² Department of Clinical Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
³ Department of Psychology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
⁵ Technical Advisory Group for Arbovirus, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

Abstract

Background: Chikungunya fever is a disabling articular disease caused by chikungunya virus (CHIKV). In the past decade it has affected millions of people across America, Africa, Asia, and Europe, turning this infection into a public health concern. The acute phase of chikungunya infection is usually self-limiting, characterized by severe arthralgia, fever, chills, myalgia, headache, and rash. CHIKV neurovirulence is evident and seems to be higher among elders. Considering their susceptibility to cognitive decline and dementia, the aim of our study was to investigate whether CHIKV infection might cause long-term cognitive impairment in aged people.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with volunteers aged from 60 to 90 who had been affected by chikungunya and also with healthy controls. A structured questionnaire was used to record demographic and clinical data, functional status, and depression. Global cognitive function was assessed through MoCA. A comprehensive neuropsychological battery was performed to assess specific cognitive functions.

Results: Subjective memory complaints were present in 70% of subjects with previous chikungunya. This group had a poorer performance in MoCA (p = 0.000) and specific cognitive tests: Semantic (p = 0.05) and Phonemic Verbal Fluency (p = 0.003), 5-Digit (choice, reading, counting and alternance, p = 0.003, p = 0.014, p = 0.021, and p = 0.021, respectively), Stroop test (time, errors and interference, p = 0.000, p = 0.027 and p = 0.015, respectively), and RAVLT (word total session p = 0.05). These tests reflect performance on general executive functions, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, processing speed, semantic memory and episodic memory.

Conclusion: Our data suggest that CHIKV infection may cause long-term cognitive decline in aged people and might be a risk factor for future dementia in this population.

Keywords: chikungunya virus; cognition; cognitive decline; cognitive dysfunction; dementia; elderly; elders; older adults.

Grants and funding

001/WHO_/World Health Organization/International