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Review
. 2022 Jun 16;14(6):e26020.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.26020. eCollection 2022 Jun.

Acute to Chronic Electro-Clinical Manifestations of Neuro-COVID and the Long-Haul Consequences in People With Epilepsy: A Review

Anna Milan  1 , Philippe Salles  2 , Carolina Pelayo  3 , Reinaldo Uribe-San-Martin  4
Affiliations
Review

Acute to Chronic Electro-Clinical Manifestations of Neuro-COVID and the Long-Haul Consequences in People With Epilepsy: A Review

Anna Milan et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) infection can involve the central nervous system (CNS). Acute symptomatic seizures or epileptiform discharges have not been commonly reported in patients with altered mental status related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. However, long-term neurological symptoms have been reported after COVID-19 infection (i.e., brain fog, cognitive complaints, and confusion), suggesting chronic encephalopathy. People with epilepsy (PWE) have been specifically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with changes in their seizure frequency, quality of life, health care accessibility, and medication interactions. This narrative review highlights possible pathophysiological mechanisms of COVID-19 on the brain, related to short- and long-term epileptiform activity and the impact of this infection on PWE.

Keywords: brain fog; covid-19; eeg; encephalitis; epilepsy; long-haul covid; people with epilepsy; seizures.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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