Neurobiological Underpinnings of Neuropsychological Consequences in Long COVID

Objectives: To describe the standardized evaluation of the psychological and cognitive function of long COVID patients and their evolution, to compare immunological and HPA-axis related biomarkers between long COVID patients and healthy controls, to explore cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between immunological measures and long COVID symptoms. Study design: Cov-N-Psy is a longitudinal observational study. Three groups will be included from 2021 until 2023: long COVID patients with neuropsychological complaints (P), COVID-survivors without persistent complaints (Ca) and healthy volunteers without a history of COVID-19 (Cb). The total sample size is estimated on 130. Four visits are organized: at baseline, three, six and twelve months. The study is organized in three work packages (WP). WP1 includes a blood withdrawal and psychometric questionnaires and is part of every visit. WP2 includes cortisol measurement in saliva and takes place on the baseline visit for every participant and on the third visit for patients. Finally, WP3 includes a neurocognitive assessment at baseline for patients and Ca controls and on the third visit for patients.