Case Report: Behavioral Unresponsiveness in Acute COVID-19 Patients: The Utility of the Motor Behavior Tool-Revised and 18 F-FDG PET/CT

• Published in: Frontiers in neurology 2021, Vol.12, p.644848
• Main Authors: Vijiala, Sergiu, Epiney, Jean-Benoît, Jöhr, Jane, Pincherle, Alessandro, Meyer, Marie M, Du Pasquier, Renaud, Prior, John O, Diserens, Karin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1664-2295; 1664-2295
• DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.644848

Along with the propagation of COVID-19, emerging evidence reveals significant neurological manifestations in severely infected COVID-19 patients. Among these patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), behavioral unresponsiveness may occur frequently, yet, there are still only a few cases reported and with rare descriptions of their motor behavior after pathological awakening. Several hypotheses regarding central lesions in these patients are conceivable. Here, we describe two acute SARS-CoV-2- infected patients who developed neurological symptoms evoking the condition of clinical cognitive motor dissociation (CMD). This diagnosis could be confirmed first by clinical observation of a dissociation between preserved cognitive abilities and lack of initial motor interaction and second, by performing F- FDG PET imaging. Accurate diagnosis led to an appropriate neuro-rehabilitation regimen with long-term neuro-rehabilitation leading to an improved outcome for both patients.