Persons with co-existing neurological disorders: Risk analysis, considerations and management in COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Increasing reports of neurological symptoms in COVID-19 patient s warrant clinicians to adopt and define the standardized diagnostic and managing protocols in order to investigate the linkage of neurological symptoms in COVID-19. Encephalitis, anosmia, acute cerebrovascular disease and ageusia are some of the emerging neurological manifestations which are reported in several cohort studies on hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Although the COVID-19 pandemic is primarily associated with respiratory tract system but measures like lockdown and restricted physical movements to control the spread of this infection will certainly have neurobehavioural implications. Additionally, some of the patients with pre-existing neurological manifestations like epilepsy, Parkinson s and Alzheimer s disease are more prone to infection and demands extra as well as improvisation in their treatment therapy. In this review we have focused on the neurovirological clinical manifestations associated with COVID-19 pandemic. Although the prevalence of neurovirological manifestations is rare but increasing reports cannot be ignored and needs to be discussed thoroughly with respect to risk analysis and considerations for developing management strategy. This also helps in defining the burden of neurological disorders associated with COVID-19 patients.