A recent study conducted by scientists at Northwestern Medicine in collaboration with a Nigerian team of scientists has found that individuals in Nigeria are experiencing neurological manifestations of long COVID, known as neuro-long COVID. Symptoms include brain fog, mild cognitive impairment, fatigue, sleep problems, headache, sensations of pins and needles, and muscle pain. Of the 2,319 participants in the study, 106 (4.6%) had long COVID with neurological symptoms, and some were still experiencing symptoms up to two years after their initial episode of COVID-19. The study, published in the Journal of NeuroVirology, highlights the need for improved screening, diagnosis, and treatment of neuro-long COVID in Nigeria.
Patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia reported a higher frequency of long COVID symptoms than those who were not hospitalized and had mild initial COVID-19. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing neuro-long COVID as a significant issue among COVID-19 survivors. Dr. Igor Koralnik, chief of neuro-infectious disease and global neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, emphasized the need for intervention to alleviate the suffering of patients experiencing these neurological symptoms. Researchers from the Nigerian team, including neurologist Dr. Njideka U. Okubadejo and infectious disease physician Dr. Iorhen E. Akase, were instrumental in the study.
The Northwestern Medicine Neuro-COVID-19 Clinic was launched in May 2020 to evaluate patients exhibiting post-COVID neurologic symptoms. While the clinic in Chicago has been researching and treating post-COVID neurologic symptoms, the prevalence of long COVID in Nigeria has gone largely unrecognized. This lack of awareness has highlighted the importance of conducting research to demonstrate the need for diagnosis and clinical care of these patients, as well as advocating for specialized outpatient clinics for long COVID. Moving forward, the researchers plan to apply similar techniques used in Chicago to treat brain fog and cognitive dysfunction in neuro-long COVID patients in Nigeria.
Neurological symptoms such as difficulty remembering/brain fog, fatigue, sleep problems, headache, numbness and pins and needles, and muscle pain were common among study participants with neuro-long COVID. Approximately 16.9% of participants who underwent an in-person neurological evaluation and cognitive screening exhibited results consistent with mild cognitive impairment. The symptoms of long COVID continue to impact the quality of life and ability to work of individuals in their prime, contributing to profound public health and socio-economic impacts. Ongoing studies, such as the National Center for Health Statistics household pulse study, indicate that approximately 14 million adults in the U.S. are currently experiencing long COVID, emphasizing the ongoing need for research and treatment efforts in this area.