Coronavirus is linked to several neurological conditions, including stroke, delirium, nerve damage, and a rare inflammatory brain condition that can be fatal, according to a new study.
“We need to be vigilant and vigilant for these complications in people who have had COVID-19,” said Dr. Michael Zandi of the Queen Square Institute of Neurology at University College London and lead author of the study, according to a report published in SciTechDaily. . “Whether we see a large-scale epidemic of pandemic-related brain damage, perhaps similar to the outbreak of lethargic encephalitis in the 1920s and 1930s after the 1918 flu pandemic, remains to be seen.”
The researchers diagnosed 9 of 43 patients with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), a rare inflammatory condition that is usually seen in children and can be caused by a virus.
SMALL GROUP OF CORONAVIRAL PATIENTS EXHIBIT NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS: REPORT
While the London team generally sees ADEM at about one patient per month, it increased to one per week during the study, according to the report.
Still, the virus was not detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of the brain, according to the study, which means it likely won’t attack the brain directly and that neurological conditions may be caused by an immune response.
“Physicians should be aware of the possible neurological effects, since early diagnosis can improve patient outcomes,” said first joint author Dr. Ross Paterson. “People recovering from the virus should seek professional health advice if they experience neurological symptoms.”
Some of the patients’ symptoms were primarily neurological with no serious respiratory ailments, such as cough and shortness of breath typical of the disease, the study reported.
“We identified a larger than expected number of people with neurological conditions, such as brain inflammation, that did not always correlate with the severity of respiratory symptoms,” Zandi said in the article.
Of the 43 patients in the study who were treated at the university’s National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery for neurological conditions, 12 were identified with brain inflammation (including 9 diagnosed with ADEM), 10 with temporary brain dysfunction with delirium, 8 with accidents. cerebrovascular and 8 with strokes and 8 with nerve damage. All patients had tested positive or suspected of having COVID-19.
Strokes can be caused by extremely sticky blood found in patients with coronavirus, which can cause blood clots.
In an earlier study, Zandi and co-author Dr. Hadi Manji identified more than 153 virus patients who had neurological symptoms.
“This now establishes a template for other researchers around the world, facilitating coordinated research to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of these complications, which to date have been difficult. In addition, patients will require long-term follow-up, “said Manji, according to SciTech.
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The study findings were originally reported in the academic journal Brain.
