Dozens More Cases of Neurological Problems in COVID-19 Reported

SARS-CoV-2 generally attacks the lungs, but researchers are also stressing its effects on the brain in a fraction of patients.

Written byAmanda Heidt

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COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, pandemic, coronavirus, brain, neurology, ADEM, symptoms, neurological disorder

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Newly described case reports add to growing evidence that COVID-19 infections can result in severe, long-lasting neurological complications—including inflammation, psychosis, delirium, nerve damage, and strokes—even among patients experiencing mild cases of the virus with few other symptoms. In some instances, the new study claims, these neurological effects were the first manifestation of the disease.

In a paper published today (July 8) in the journal Brain, neurologists in the UK noted an uptick this spring in cases of a potentially fatal condition called acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). While ADEM is usually diagnosed in younger children after a viral infection, researchers at the college’s Institute of Neurology tell The Guardian that they saw two or three cases per week among coronavirus patients during April and May. Ordinarily, the hospital sees about two ADEM cases per month among adults.

“We’re seeing things in the way Covid-19 affects the brain ...

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Meet the Author

Amanda Heidt
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Amanda first began dabbling in scicom as a master’s student studying marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs, where she edited the student blog and interned at a local NPR station. She enjoyed that process of demystifying science so much that after receiving her degree in 2019, she went straight into a second master’s program in science communication at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Formerly an intern at The Scientist, Amanda joined the team as a staff reporter and editor in 2021 and oversaw the publication’s internship program, assigned and edited the Foundations, Scientist to Watch, and Short Lit columns, and contributed original reporting across the publication. Amanda’s stories often focus on issues of equity and representation in academia, and she brings this same commitment to DEI to the Science Writers Association of the Rocky Mountains and to the board of the National Association of Science Writers, which she has served on since 2022. She is currently based in the outdoor playground that is Moab, Utah. Read more of her work at www.amandaheidt.com.
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