The COVID-19 outbreak and PNES: The impact of a ubiquitously felt stressor

Valente, Kette D.; Alessi, Rudá; Baroni, Gislaine Verginia; Marin, Rachel; Santos, Bernardo dos; Palmini, André

doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2021.107852

Cited by 22 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 26 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…, 79. , 80. This is a complex entity that raises concerns among the general population; effective communication is needed to reduce fears regarding vaccination.…”

Section: Pathophysiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and classification of the neurological symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome

Carod-Artal

García-Moncó

2021

Neurology Perspectives

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction Post-COVID-19 syndrome is a series of chronic signs and symptoms that may appear after SARS-CoV-2 infection, including fatigue, dyspnoea, chest pain, palpitations, anxiety, depression, and joint and muscle pain. The purpose of this study was to review the controversies on post-COVID-19 syndrome, the frequency of neurological symptoms, and the potential pathophysiological mechanisms. Methods We present a narrative review of studies published in PubMed since the beginning of the pandemic (January 2020–July 2021). Results Patients with history of COVID-19 have been found to present persistent neurological symptoms, including cognitive complaints, memory and concentration problems, headache, anosmia, ageusia, vertigo, and insomnia. Post-COVID-19 syndrome is a heterogeneous disease that lacks a universally accepted definition, which may explain the great variability in the estimated prevalence (2.3%–85%) and symptom duration. The criteria differentiating post-COVID-19 syndrome from chronic fatigue syndrome or critical illness syndrome are ambiguous. Risk factors include older age, female sex, certain comorbidities, and greater number of symptoms in the acute phase. The pathophysiology of the syndrome is largely unknown, although it is probably multifactorial, including immunological mechanisms, neural network dysfunction, neurotransmitter alterations, persistent viral damage, and functional impairment. Conclusions Post-COVID-19 syndrome may present after mild or even asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, causing limitations in activities of daily living and in quality of life. Further research will clarify the origin and most appropriate management of these neurological alterations.

show abstract

“…, 79. , 80. This is a complex entity that raises concerns among the general population; effective communication is needed to reduce fears regarding vaccination.…”

Section: Pathophysiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and classification of the neurological symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome

Carod-Artal

García-Moncó

2021

Neurology Perspectives

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In a survey of 54 patients with FS, 15 people (28%) reported increased frequency of FS during the pandemic in Brazil [22] . In contrast, in a survey of 18 people with FS, 22.2% reported an improvement in seizure control during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City [23] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An international study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on characteristics of functional seizures

Asadi-Pooya

Trinka

Hingray

et al. 2022

Epilepsy & Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective We investigated whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the clinical characteristics of patients with functional seizure (FS) (at the time of diagnosis) in a large multicenter international study. Methods This was a retrospective study. We investigated all patients with FS, who were admitted at the epilepsy monitoring units at six centers in the world: 1. Shiraz, Iran; 2. Salzburg, Austria; 3. Nancy, France; 4. Atlanta, USA; 5. Kuwait City, Kuwait; and 6. Cairo, Egypt. Patients were studied during two time periods: admitted in 2018-2019 (pre-COVID era) and 2020-2021 (COVID era). Results Three hundred and twenty-six patients were studied. Two hundred and twenty-four (68.7%) patients were diagnosed before and 102 (31.3%) persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. Only, a history of family dysfunction was significantly associated with the COVID-19 pandemic era (Odds Ratio: 1.925, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.099-3.371; p = 0.022). A low level of education might also be associated with FS during the COVID-19 pandemic, at least in some cultures (e.g., the Middle-East). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has not affected the clinical characteristics of patients with FS (at the time of diagnosis). However, a history of family dysfunction was significantly more frequently associated with FS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiagency integration of law enforcement responses, social services, and social awareness are recommended to address family dysfunction and domestic violence and support the victims during this pandemic.

show abstract

“…Subjects with PNES with or without concurrent epilepsy were significantly more likely than our cohort of subjects with epilepsy to report improved control during this three-month time period. The only other dedicated study to date of patients with PNES during the pandemic did not report the percentage of patients that improved, but rather grouped the improved and unchanged subjects together and compared them to the cohort that experienced PNES worsening [5] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A preliminary study of eight patients with PNES and ten with functional movement disorders suggested that subjects with functional movement disorders experienced greater psychological distress compared to those with PNES [4] . A cross-sectional study from Brazil found that 28% of patients with PNES reported increased frequency of PNES during the pandemic, and higher anxiety and depression scores were associated with this deterioration [5] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City – A distinct response from the epilepsy experience

Rosengard

Ferastraoaru

Donato

et al. 2021

Epilepsy & Behavior

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Although psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are a common neurologic condition, there remains a paucity of literature on the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on these patients. Using a cross-sectional questionnaire study, our group examined the experience of patients with PNES at a single Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in New York City, the epicenter of the initial COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. Among our cohort of 18 subjects with PNES, 22.2% reported an improvement in seizure control during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Compared to the cohort of subjects with epilepsy without PNES, subjects with PNES were significantly more likely to report an improvement ( p = 0.033). Our findings signal that sleep and stress may be relevant variables in both conditions that should be further investigated and potentially intervened upon. Larger dedicated studies of patients with PNES are needed to understand the impact of the pandemic’s widespread societal effects on these patients.

show abstract

The COVID-19 outbreak and PNES: The impact of a ubiquitously felt stressor

Cited by 22 publications

References 26 publications

Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and classification of the neurological symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome

Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and classification of the neurological symptoms of post-COVID-19 syndrome

An international study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on characteristics of functional seizures

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City – A distinct response from the epilepsy experience

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About