Neuropsychology and Covid-19. The role of the psychologist in care and assistance to patients with cognitive functions impairment

Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychologists played a crucial role in managing the consequences of the spread of the epidemic. Now that, in some respects, the emergency for the protection of human lives is on the decline, another critical area of intervention is emerging: neuropsychological care. In fact, the most recent empirical evidence suggests that COVID-19 infection can lead to important sequelae on the central nervous system as a consequence of the tropism of the virus for the central nervous system and of prolonged periods of severe desaturation hypoxia. These consequences cause impairments in cognitive, emotional and behavioural functions, a clinical picture known by the name of neuroCOVID. This work aims at outlining practical suggestions for the neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19 and cognitive-affective-behavioural impairment, as well as to outline the role of the neuropsychologist in the assistance and care process for such clinical population.