Coronavirus: Rise in delirium and nerve damage among patients

Study identifies ‘rare and sometimes fatal inflammatory condition’ linked to Covid-19 on the rise

Further research on the neurological conditions linked to coronavirus needed, said scientists (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Researchers have found that a number of patients who have tested positive for coronavirus have suffered from neurological complications, including delirium, brain inflammation, stroke and nerve damage.

A new study led by University College London (UCL) and University College London Hospitals (UCLH) found a “rare and sometimes fatal inflammatory condition” known as ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) linked to Covid-19 that appears to be rising in prevalence.

Forty-three patients aged between 16 to 85 who had either confirmed or suspected Covid-19 were included in the study, published in the journal Brain. All were treated at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at UCLH.