COVID-19 Update: Doctors See Neurological Symptoms Among A Few Number Of Coronavirus Patients

A report from the New York Times said that some doctors say they are starting to see some neurological symptoms in a few of the COVID-19 patients. According to the doctors, however, an altered mental state is considered a rare symptom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that common symptoms of COVID-19 infection include high temperature, shortness of breath, and cough.

A Rare Symptom

In Michigan, last month, a woman with COVID-19 was able to tell doctors her name but was not able to offer any other details about her. The doctor decided to subject her to a brain scan where it showed some inflammation and swelling.

The woman was diagnosed with acute necrotizing encephalopathy, considered a rare complication caused by some viruses, which include the flu. According to The Times, the woman remains in critical condition.

Viral Inflammation

According to Dr. Elissa Fory, the involvement pattern and the manner that the disorder quickly progressed in a matter of days, suggests a viral inflammation of the brain. This condition may indicate that coronavirus can invade the brain directly, although only in rare situations, Dr. Fory told The Times in an interview. Dr. Fory is a neurologist with the Henry Ford Health System.

During the early march, a man suffering from Parkinson’s and who was later found to have COVID-19 lost his ability to speak. He also suffered a seizure. Four elderly patients in Connecticut, who sought their doctors’ advice for neurological symptoms, were also found to be infected with COVID-19. They did not have any fever or cough. Doctors in Italy have also documented some patients experiencing seizures, strokes, and delirium.

A Brain Problem

Dr. Sherry H-Y. Chou, a University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine neurologist, in an interview with The Times, said, “There’s no ventilator for the brain.” According to Dr. Chou, if there is a problem with the lungs, the patient can always be put on a ventilator and hope that he recovers. With the brain, there is no available machine that can help if it starts showing problems.

Doctors have stated that most of the COVID-19 patients do not show any neurological symptoms. They admit, however, that more studies need to be conducted on the phenomenon. According to Dr. Robert Stevens, it might be as simple as reduced levels of oxygen in the patient’s bloodstream. Although this is just a speculation, said the doctor. Dr. Stevens is a neurologist at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.