#7090 Investigating the effects of COVID-19 on memory: the relationship between age and short-term memory

<h3>Background</h3> The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about its long-term effects, leading to conditions such as Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PCS) or ‘Long COVID.’ Neurological manifestations, including ‘Brain Fog’ with impaired cognitive function, have been reported, but their relationship with age and memory decline remains unclear. <h3>Objectives</h3> This study aimed to investigate the effects of COVID-19 infection on memory function and explore the relationship between age and memory scores. Specifically, it sought to: a) Examine how testing positive for COVID-19 impacts short-term memory performance. b) Assess the influence of COVID-19-related hospitalization on memory function. c) Investigate the connection between age and objective total memory scores. <h3>Methods</h3> Data from the ‘COVID-19 Online Rapid Objective Neuro-memory Assessment’ (CORONA) study were analyzed. The study employed an online survey, including a memory task, and ethical approval was obtained. Participants aged 18 and older were recruited globally, with 5,308 participants included in the analysis. Memory scores were obtained through a memory task featuring four categories. Statistical analysis, including T-tests and linear regression, was employed to evaluate the data. <h3>Results</h3> Participants testing positive for COVID-19 (n = 678) exhibited lower mean total memory scores than those testing negative (n = 4,630), with a statistically significant difference (P &lt; 0.05). Hospitalized COVID-19 patients (n = 37) had significantly lower memory scores compared to non-hospitalized patients (n = 641, P &lt; 0.05), suggesting a greater impact of hospitalization on memory function. Age was associated with declining memory scores, with an overall trend of decreasing scores as age increased. Three age groups (35–44, 45–54, and 55–64) exhibited significant differences in memory scores between COVID-19 positive and negative participants. <h3>Discussion</h3> This study provides evidence that COVID-19 infection may be associated with worsened memory outcomes and cognitive function. Hospitalization due to COVID-19 appears to have a more substantial impact on memory than the infection alone. A steeper decline in memory scores with age was observed among COVID-19-positive participants, suggesting potential age-related vulnerability to memory decline associated with COVID-19. However, discrepancies in results may be attributed to sample size limitations, emphasizing the need for larger cohorts in future research. <h3>Conclusion</h3> This study underscores the importance of understanding the long-term neurological effects of COVID-19, particularly the potential risks for memory decline associated with age. Future research with larger and more diverse populations is essential to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization on memory function across age groups, aiding in the management of PCS and Long COVID symptoms.