Experts shortlisted cognitive screening tests for pilots after COVID
For screening pilots after COVID, a literature review and expert panel favored the Trail Making Test and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. Their ability to detect impairment still needs confirmation.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review and expert consultation identified the Trail Making Test and Symbol Digit Modalities Test as quick, suitable candidates for screening pilots for cognitive difficulties after COVID. This was a selection exercise, rather than a reported validation study in affected pilots. The abstract explicitly calls for confirmation that the tests reliably detect these cognitive effects.
The abstract reports a literature-based shortlist and expert agreement, without results showing how accurately the selected tests detect impairment in pilots after infection. Suitability and demonstrated detection performance remain separate questions.
How the shortlist was developed
Researchers first reviewed possible screening tools, then sought judgments from specialists through repeated consultation. This process addressed which tests seemed appropriate for aviation medical checks; the abstract does not describe testing the shortlist in a pilot patient sample.
What remains to be established
The selected tools assess abilities considered relevant to pilot performance and are available in different versions. Those practical features support further evaluation, but they do not establish reliable detection of cognitive difficulties specifically associated with COVID.
The original publication
Appropriate Screening Tests to Assess Post-COVID-19 Cognitive Dysfunction in Aeromedical Settings.
Beka SG, Griffiths RF, Myers JA et al.
Aerosp Med Hum Perform · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40643301
- Record checked
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