Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Researchers from Oxford’s Department of Experimental Psychology and Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences have shown that people who have had Covid but don’t complain of long Covid symptoms in daily life nevertheless can show degraded attention and memory for up to 6-9 months.

Woman sitting on the grass writing in a journal

Previous studies have shown that after acute Covid-19 infection some people can continue to suffer from cognitive symptoms such as difficulties in concentrating, colloquially referred to as brain fog, as well as forgetfulness and fatigue – features of the ‘long Covid’ syndrome.

But it was not known whether cognitive performance can also be affected in individuals who had mild symptoms and report no concerns after recovery from acute Covid infection.

In this study, participants were asked to complete a number of exercises to test their memory and cognitive ability, with a focus on cognitive functions critical for daily life, such as sustaining attention, memory, planning and semantic reasoning.

Read the full story on the University of Oxford website