EVALUATION OF COGNITIVE AND PSYCHOMOTOR ABILITIES IN COVID-19 INFECTED MEDICAL STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with persistent neurological and cognitive sequelae, collectively termed "long COVID." Medical students represent a uniquely vulnerable population due to high academic demands and exposure to healthcare settings. However, the long-term impact of mild COVID-19 infection on cognitive and psychomotor abilities in this demographic remains inadequately characterized. This study aimed to evaluate cognitive and psychomotor abilities in medical students with a history of COVID-19 infection compared to uninfected controls and to identify factors associated with performance deficits. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students at a tertiary care institution. Participants were stratified into two groups: those with a confirmed history of COVID-19 infection (n = 65) and uninfected controls (n = 66). Cognitive assessment included evaluation of working memory (N-back test), inhibitory control (Stroop test), cognitive flexibility (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test), attention, and visual-motor response. Psychomotor abilities were assessed using simple and choice reaction time tasks. Psychological status was evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The COVID-19 infected group demonstrated significantly higher levels of personal anxiety and increased fatigue compared to controls. Short-term auditory memory was significantly impaired in the infected group, while visual memory showed no significant differences. The infected cohort exhibited compromised response stability, while simple visual-motor response times did not significantly differ between groups. Executive function assessment revealed that cognitive performance was largely preserved and strongly associated with baseline cognitive reserve (fluid intelligence) rather than infection history. Notably, 78.1% of students reported that online education negatively affected time management and practical skill acquisition. Conclusion: COVID-19 infection in medical students is associated with selective cognitive and psychomotor changes, particularly in auditory working memory and response stability, alongside increased anxiety and fatigue. However, high cognitive reserve appears to buffer against global executive dysfunction approximately two years post-infection. These findings suggest targeted mental health support and practical skills remediation in medical education curricula.