Focal seizures with impaired awareness as long-term neurological complication of COVID-19: a case report.

Focal seizures with impaired awareness as long-term neurological complication of COVID-19: a case report.

Marco Bozzali, Alberto Grassini, Giovanni Morana, Michela Zotta, Sara Cabras, Alberto Romagnolo, Carlo Alberto Artusi, Elisa Montalenti, Mario Giorgio Rizzone, Diego Garbossa, Elisa Montanaro, Mara Cercignani, Leonardo Lopiano

We report here the first case of a young individual otherwise healthy, who presented with frequent focal seizures with impaired awareness as a possible long-term complication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection. Seizures were documented by electroencephalography and responded clinically and neuro-physiologically to antiseizure therapy. The patient underwent an extensive investigation including cerebrospinal fluid examination, conventional and quantitative brain magnetic resonance imaging, and 18-FDG positron emission tomography. Beyond the clinical interest, this case contributes to clarify the possible pathways by which SARS-CoV-2 may enter the central nervous system and cause long-term neurological complications.

2021

covid-19, encephalitis, epilepsy, Focal seizures with impaired awareness

10.1007/s10072-021-05233-y

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology