An immersive virtual reality-based object-location memory task reveals spatial long-term memory alterations in Long-COVID, 2024, Llana et al.

[SNT Gatchaman]

An immersive virtual reality-based object-location memory task reveals spatial long-term memory alterations in Long-COVID
Llana; Garces-Arilla; Juan; Mendez-Lopez; Mendez

Object-location memory (OLM) is a type of declarative memory for spatial information and consists of the individual’s ability to establish accurate associations between objects and their spatial locations. Long-COVID describes the long-term effects of the COVID-19 disease. Long-COVID patients show medial temporal lobe dysfunction and neuropsychological alterations affecting memory.

This study aimed to assess OLM in a group of Long-COVID patients, n=66, and a Control group of healthy individuals with similar age and sex composition, n=21, using an immersive virtual reality (iVR)-based OLM task. We also explored associations between the performance in the iVR-based OLM task and general cognitive function (MoCA), and both verbal (VSTM) and visuospatial (SSTM) span.

The Long-COVID group showed fewer correct responses, made more task attempts, and invested more time in the iVR-based OLM task than the Control group. Delayed memory was more severely altered than immediate memory in Long-COVID participants. Better MoCA scores of the Long-COVID group were strongly associated with shorter times to complete the immediate recall of the iVR-based OLM task. Besides, the months elapsed since the COVID-19 infection were slightly associated with fewer correct responses in the immediate and 24-hour recalls.

These results corroborate previous findings of memory alterations in the Long-COVID syndrome using an iVR-based OLM task, adding new evidence on spatial memory and long-term memory in this population. Implementing spatial iVR tasks to clinical research may improve our understanding of neuropsychological disorders.

Link | PDF (Behavioural Brain Research)

 

[Hutan]

made more task attempts, and invested more time in the iVR-based OLM task than the Control group

but, but, where was their effort preference for being lazy? Oh, that was ME/CFS people.

Which reminds me, I'd like to see this research done with people lying down as well as after standing still for 5 minutes. I reckon it would make a difference.

 

[SNT Gatchaman]

but, but, where was their effort preference for being lazy? Oh, that was ME/CFS people.

In limitations they note that their patient sample "was mainly composed of moderately or slightly affected subjects." They further comment —

The requirement to travel to laboratory facilities demanded significant time and effort from participants, which could potentially discourage individuals from volunteering for the control group.

So the assumption here is the effort preference would be worse in controls...