Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Introduction: Emotional apathy has recently been identified as a common symptom of long COVID. While recent meta-analyses have demonstrated generalized EEG slowing with the emergence of delta rhythms in patients hospitalized for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, no EEG study or dopamine transporter scint...
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| Format: | Article |
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Karger Publishers
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Case Reports in Neurology |
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| Online Access: | https://beta.karger.com/Article/FullText/535241 |
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| author | Damien Benis Philippe Voruz Sabina Catalano Chiuve Valentina Garibotto Frédéric Assal Paul Krack Julie Péron Vanessa Fleury |
| author_facet | Damien Benis Philippe Voruz Sabina Catalano Chiuve Valentina Garibotto Frédéric Assal Paul Krack Julie Péron Vanessa Fleury |
| author_sort | Damien Benis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Emotional apathy has recently been identified as a common symptom of long COVID. While recent meta-analyses have demonstrated generalized EEG slowing with the emergence of delta rhythms in patients hospitalized for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, no EEG study or dopamine transporter scintigraphy (DaTSCAN) has been performed in patients with long COVID presenting with apathy. The objective of this case report was to explore the pathophysiology of neuropsychological symptoms in long COVID. Case Presentation: A 47-year-old patient who developed a long COVID with prominent apathy following an initially clinically mild SARS-CoV-2 infection underwent neuropsychological assessment, cerebral MRI, DaTSCAN, and resting-state high-density EEG 7 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The EEG data were compared to those of 21 healthy participants. The patient presented with apathy, cognitive difficulties with dysexecutive syndrome, moderate attentional and verbal episodic memory disturbances, and resolution of premorbid mild gaming disorder, mild mood disturbances, and sleep disturbances. His MRI and DaTSCAN were unremarkable. EEG revealed a complex pattern of oscillatory abnormalities compared to the control group, with a strong increase in whole-scalp delta and beta band activity, as well as a decrease in alpha band activity. Overall, these effects were more prominent in the frontal-central-temporal region. Conclusion: These results suggest widespread changes in EEG oscillatory patterns in a patient with long COVID characterized by neuropsychological complications with prominent apathy. Despite the inherent limitations of a case report, these results suggest dysfunction in the cortical networks involved in motivation and emotion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:04:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a280e83839a44081b5d784649cb41adb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-680X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T17:04:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Karger Publishers |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Reports in Neurology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a280e83839a44081b5d784649cb41adb2024-01-04T07:27:22ZengKarger PublishersCase Reports in Neurology1662-680X2023-12-0116161710.1159/000535241535241Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 InfectionDamien Benis0Philippe Voruz1Sabina Catalano Chiuve2Valentina Garibotto3Frédéric Assal4Paul Krack5Julie Péron6Vanessa Fleury7Neurology Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNeurology Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNeurology Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNuclear Medicine and Molecular Division, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNeurology Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNeurology Department, University Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandNeurology Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandNeurology Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, SwitzerlandIntroduction: Emotional apathy has recently been identified as a common symptom of long COVID. While recent meta-analyses have demonstrated generalized EEG slowing with the emergence of delta rhythms in patients hospitalized for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, no EEG study or dopamine transporter scintigraphy (DaTSCAN) has been performed in patients with long COVID presenting with apathy. The objective of this case report was to explore the pathophysiology of neuropsychological symptoms in long COVID. Case Presentation: A 47-year-old patient who developed a long COVID with prominent apathy following an initially clinically mild SARS-CoV-2 infection underwent neuropsychological assessment, cerebral MRI, DaTSCAN, and resting-state high-density EEG 7 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The EEG data were compared to those of 21 healthy participants. The patient presented with apathy, cognitive difficulties with dysexecutive syndrome, moderate attentional and verbal episodic memory disturbances, and resolution of premorbid mild gaming disorder, mild mood disturbances, and sleep disturbances. His MRI and DaTSCAN were unremarkable. EEG revealed a complex pattern of oscillatory abnormalities compared to the control group, with a strong increase in whole-scalp delta and beta band activity, as well as a decrease in alpha band activity. Overall, these effects were more prominent in the frontal-central-temporal region. Conclusion: These results suggest widespread changes in EEG oscillatory patterns in a patient with long COVID characterized by neuropsychological complications with prominent apathy. Despite the inherent limitations of a case report, these results suggest dysfunction in the cortical networks involved in motivation and emotion.https://beta.karger.com/Article/FullText/535241long covidneuropsychological disturbancesapathyeeg |
| spellingShingle | Damien Benis Philippe Voruz Sabina Catalano Chiuve Valentina Garibotto Frédéric Assal Paul Krack Julie Péron Vanessa Fleury Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 Infection Case Reports in Neurology long covid neuropsychological disturbances apathy eeg |
| title | Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| title_full | Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| title_fullStr | Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| title_short | Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in a Patient Suffering from Long-Term Neuropsychological Complications following SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
| title_sort | electroencephalographic abnormalities in a patient suffering from long term neuropsychological complications following sars cov 2 infection |
| topic | long covid neuropsychological disturbances apathy eeg |
| url | https://beta.karger.com/Article/FullText/535241 |
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