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Case Reports
. 2020 Dec;41(12):3381-3384.
doi: 10.1007/s10072-020-04768-w. Epub 2020 Sep 28.

COVID-19 presenting with agraphia and conduction aphasia in a patient with left-hemisphere ischemic stroke

Konstantinos Priftis  1   2 , Lorella Algeri  3 , Stella Villella  4 , Maria Simonetta Spada  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

COVID-19 presenting with agraphia and conduction aphasia in a patient with left-hemisphere ischemic stroke

Konstantinos Priftis et al. Neurol Sci. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

COVID-19 following infection by SARS-CoV-2 can affect the brain causing confusion, depression, and dementia-like signs. Nonetheless, the presence of more specific neuropsychological signs because of COVID-19 remains unexplored. We report on LA, a patient who was affected by a left-hemisphere ischemic stroke, probably because of SARS-CoV-2. The patient showed a highly specific neuropsychological profile characterized by severe agraphia and some signs of conduction aphasia. All other cognitive and sensorimotor functions remained intact. We sustain that specific neuropsychological signs can be observed in patients with COVID-19. Therefore, in-depth and comprehensive neuropsychological assessment should be included to better explore and qualify the neuropsychological consequences of COVID-19. This is a new challenge for diagnosis and rehabilitation, with important consequences for the involved neuropsychological services.

Keywords: Agraphia; COVID-19; Conduction aphasia; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
FLAIR-MRI scan of LA’s brain, showing hyperintense signal in the left temporo-parieto-insular region, extending to the homolateral semioval center
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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