Neurological disorders became less common and, in most cases, resolved quickly in the pandemic waves that followed the first. These are the findings of the Neuro-COVID Italy study, which was supported by the Italian Society of Neurology (SIN) and was recently published in the international scientific journal Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The neurological disorders associated with COVID-19 infection, dubbed "neuro-COVID," are among the most concerning, contentious, and poorly understood aspects of the recent pandemic. Acute encephalopathy (a severe state of confusion with disorientation and hallucinations) to ischemic stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, difficulty concentrating and memory, chronic headache, reduced sense of smell and taste, some forms of epilepsy, and peripheral nerve inflammation are all examples of symptoms and diseases. The Neuro-COVID Italy project, which involved 38 Neurology units in Italy and the Republic of San Marino, was coordinated by Prof. Carlo Ferrarese, director of the University of Milan-Bicocca's Neurological Clinic. Out of nearly 53000 patients hospitalized for COVID-19, about 2000 had neuro-COVID disorders and were followed for at least 6 months after diagnosis to track the progression of the disorders. More than 60% of patients had complete resolution of neurological symptoms or continued mild symptoms that did not interfere with daily activities. This figure rises to more than 70% for working-age patients aged 18 to 64.
|