Severe Neurocognitive Manifestations in Healthy Young Individuals With COVID-19: A Case Series

A growing number of patients suffering from neurocognitive symptoms related to COVID-19 were observed as the pandemic progressed. This article addresses severe neurological manifestations in healthy individuals with COVID-19, which were not previously identified in the absence of comorbidities or respiratory symptoms.

The 3 patients, aged between 15 and 27 years old, had no relevant medical history and were not on any chronic treatments. They presented different neurological symptoms (pseudobulbar affect, excessive crying, paracusia, fatigue and sleep problems, anxiety, depression, alexithymia, dementia, aggressive behavior, panic attack, etc) for a period of 2 weeks to 4 months and were treated with different medications. Clomipramine, Zolpidem and Clonazepam were effective in treating these patients.

Even in healthy young individuals with COVID-19, severe neurocognitive manifestations could appear with possible long-term consequences. Further research is needed to expand the knowledge on mechanisms, targeted therapeutic strategies and predictors identifying at-risk groups.