Long-term Neuropsychiatric Complications and ¹⁸F-FDG-PET Hypometabolism in the Brain From Prolonged Infection of COVID-19

Abstract

It is becoming increasingly clear that the worldwide outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 will have long-term negative consequences. Some patients report functional complaints long after recovery from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), which include fatigue, breathlessness, heart palpitations, loss or alteration of taste and smell, and problems with attention, memory, and cognition. However, the long-term complications for those patients who had severe symptoms and prolonged hypoxia during their course of their hospital stay is still unknown. We report 2 patients with confirmed diagnoses of COVID-19 who experienced prolonged infection and developed rapid progressive dementia following COVID-19 pneumonia after a follow-up period of 5 to 10 months. As these cases may become more prevalent over time, we should learn to recognize the early signs of long-term COVID-19 complications in those who are especially vulnerable to neurocognitive decline.