Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38862725›Full record

SynthesisNeuropsychology review2025

Meta-analysis of Cognitive Function Following Non-severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Tara A Austin, Michael L Thomas, Min Lu, Cooper B Hodges, Emily S Darowski, Rachel Bergmans, Sarah Parr, Delaney Pickell, Mikayla Catazaro, Crystal Lantrip and 1 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Neuropsychology review, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Tara A AustinThe VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA. tara.austin@va.gov.ORCID 0000-0003-0185-6073
Michael L ThomasDepartment of Psychology, Colorado State University, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3026-7609
Min LuUniversity of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
Cooper B HodgesDepartment of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9882-9260
Emily S DarowskiHarold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-6616-4839
Rachel BergmansChronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5740-6691
Sarah ParrThe VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7038-8563
Delaney PickellCenter of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
Mikayla CatazaroThe VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6476-7380
Crystal Lantrip *The VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, 4800 Memorial Drive, Waco, TX, 76711, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4204-4226
Elizabeth W Twamley *Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8693-8782

Funding

FELLOWSHIP IN GERIATRIC MENTAL HEALTHT32MH019934 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI Elizabeth W Twamley · 1994 to 2026
$9.5M
TRAINING OF ARTHRITIS RESEARCH SCIENTISTST32AR007080 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI Jason Knight · 1986 to 2026
$6.3M
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Augmented Written Exposure Therapy for Veterans with PTSDIK2CX002101 · VA · OLIN TEAGUE VETERANS CENTER · PI Crystal Lantrip · 2021 to 2026
–
CSRD VA IK2 CX002101NIAMS NIH HHS T32-AR07080NIMH NIH HHS T32 MH019934RRD VA IK2 RX004764RRD VA IK6 RX003504U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 1 IK2 CX002101U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 1IK2RX004764U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs RR&D Research Career Scientist Award
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

To effectively diagnose and treat subjective cognitive symptoms in post-acute sequalae of COVID-19 (PASC), it is important to understand objective cognitive impairment across the range of acute COVID-19 severity. Despite the importance of this area of research, to our knowledge, there are no current meta-analyses of objective cognitive functioning following non-severe initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of this meta-analysis is to describe objective cognitive impairment in individuals with non-severe (mild or moderate) SARS-CoV-2 cases in the post-acute stage of infection. This meta-analysis was pre-registered with Prospero (CRD42021293124) and utilized the PRISMA checklist for reporting guidelines, with screening conducted by at least two independent reviewers for all aspects of the screening and data extraction process. Fifty-nine articles (total participants = 22,060) with three types of study designs met our full criteria. Individuals with non-severe (mild/moderate) initial SARS-CoV-2 infection demonstrated worse objective cognitive performance compared to healthy comparison participants. However, those with mild (nonhospitalized) initial SARS-CoV-2 infections had better objective cognitive performance than those with moderate (hospitalized but not requiring ICU care) or severe (hospitalized with ICU care) initial SARS-CoV-2 infections. For studies that used normative data comparisons instead of healthy comparison participants, there was a small and nearly significant effect when compared to normative data. There were high levels of heterogeneity (88.6 to 97.3%), likely reflecting small sample sizes and variations in primary study methodology. Individuals who have recovered from non-severe cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections may be at risk for cognitive decline or impairment and may benefit from cognitive health interventions.

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive DysfunctionCOVID-19HumansSARS-CoV-2Severity of Illness IndexCognitionCognitive declineCOVID-19PASCPost-acute sequalae of COVID-19SARS-CoV-2

Identifiers

PMID38862725
PMCPMC13075542

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.