Assessment of Neurocognitive Functions, Olfaction, Taste, Mental, and Psychosocial Health in COVID-19 in Adults: Recommendations for Harmonization of Research and Implications for Clinical Practice
Lucette A Cysique, Emilia Łojek, Theodore Ching-Kong Cheung, Breda Cullen, Anna Rita Egbert, Jonathan Evans, Maite Garolera, Natalia Gawron, Hetta Gouse, Karolina Hansen, Paweł Holas, Sylwia Hyniewska, Ewa Malinowska, Bernice A Marcopulos, Tricia L Merkley, Jose A Muñoz-Moreno, Clare Ramsden, Christian Salas, Sietske A M Sikkes, Ana Rita Silva, Imane Zouhar; NeuroCOVID International Neuropsychology Taskforce
ABSTRACT
Objective: To propose a set of internationally harmonized procedures and methods for assessing neurocognitive functions, smell, taste, mental, and psychosocial health, and other factors in adults formally diagnosed with COVID-19 (confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 + WHO definition).
Methods: We formed an international and cross-disciplinary NeuroCOVID Neuropsychology Taskforce in April 2020. Seven criteria were used to guide the selection of the recommendations’ methods and procedures: (i) Relevance to all COVID-19 illness stages and longitudinal study design; (ii) Standard, cross-culturally valid or widely available instruments; (iii) Coverage of both direct and indirect causes of COVID-19-associated neurological and psychiatric symptoms; (iv) Control of factors specifically pertinent to COVID-19 that may affect neuropsychological performance; (v) Flexibility of administration (telehealth, computerized, remote/online, face to face); (vi) Harmonization for facilitating international research; (vii) Ease of translation to clinical practice.
Results: The three proposed levels of harmonization include a screening strategy with telehealth option, a medium-size computerized assessment with an online/remote option, and a comprehensive evaluation with flexible administration. The context in which each harmonization level might be used is described. Issues of assessment timelines, guidance for home/remote assessment to support data fidelity and telehealth considerations, cross-cultural adequacy, norms, and impairment definitions are also described.
Conclusions: The proposed recommendations provide rationale and methodological guidance for neuropsychological research studies and clinical assessment in adults with COVID-19. We expect that the use of the recommendations will facilitate data harmonization and global research. Research implementing the recommendations will be crucial to determine their acceptability, usability, and validity.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2022 Jul;28(6):642-660. doi: 10.1017/S1355617721000862. Epub 2021 Aug 9. PMID: 34365990; PMCID: PMC8825876.
View: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-neuropsychological-society/article/assessment-of-neurocognitive-functions-olfaction-taste-mental-and-psychosocial-health-in-covid19-in-adults-recommendations-for-harmonization-of-research-and-implications-for-clinical-practice/ADABBEAF8DAE66C0A3CAF7AF08D5D8DB
Assessment of Neurocognitive Functions, Olfaction, Taste, Mental, and Psychosocial Health in COVID-19 in Adults: Recommendations for Harmonization of Research and Implications for Clinical Practice
Lucette A Cysique, Emilia Łojek, Theodore Ching-Kong Cheung, Breda Cullen, Anna Rita Egbert, Jonathan Evans, Maite Garolera, Natalia Gawron, Hetta Gouse, Karolina Hansen, Paweł Holas, Sylwia Hyniewska, Ewa Malinowska, Bernice A Marcopulos, Tricia L Merkley, Jose A Muñoz-Moreno, Clare Ramsden, Christian Salas, Sietske A M Sikkes, Ana Rita Silva, Imane Zouhar; NeuroCOVID International Neuropsychology Taskforce
ABSTRACT
Objective: To propose a set of internationally harmonized procedures and methods for assessing neurocognitive functions, smell, taste, mental, and psychosocial health, and other factors in adults formally diagnosed with COVID-19 (confirmed as SARS-CoV-2 + WHO definition).
Methods: We formed an international and cross-disciplinary NeuroCOVID Neuropsychology Taskforce in April 2020. Seven criteria were used to guide the selection of the recommendations’ methods and procedures: (i) Relevance to all COVID-19 illness stages and longitudinal study design; (ii) Standard, cross-culturally valid or widely available instruments; (iii) Coverage of both direct and indirect causes of COVID-19-associated neurological and psychiatric symptoms; (iv) Control of factors specifically pertinent to COVID-19 that may affect neuropsychological performance; (v) Flexibility of administration (telehealth, computerized, remote/online, face to face); (vi) Harmonization for facilitating international research; (vii) Ease of translation to clinical practice.
Results: The three proposed levels of harmonization include a screening strategy with telehealth option, a medium-size computerized assessment with an online/remote option, and a comprehensive evaluation with flexible administration. The context in which each harmonization level might be used is described. Issues of assessment timelines, guidance for home/remote assessment to support data fidelity and telehealth considerations, cross-cultural adequacy, norms, and impairment definitions are also described.
Conclusions: The proposed recommendations provide rationale and methodological guidance for neuropsychological research studies and clinical assessment in adults with COVID-19. We expect that the use of the recommendations will facilitate data harmonization and global research. Research implementing the recommendations will be crucial to determine their acceptability, usability, and validity.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2022 Jul;28(6):642-660. doi: 10.1017/S1355617721000862. Epub 2021 Aug 9. PMID: 34365990; PMCID: PMC8825876.
Curr Alzheimer Res. 2020;17(2):158-167. doi: 10.2174/1567205017666200317093341. PMID: 32183672.