Significant neuro problems linked to Covid vaccines found: NIMHANS study
BENGALURU: A series of clinical studies conducted at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) have revealed significant neurological problems associated with both Covid-19 infection and Covid vaccination.
Led by Dr Netravathi M, Professor of Neurology at NIMHANS, the studies span both the first wave of the pandemic and the subsequent vaccination drive, offering insights into how the virus and the global response to it has affected the central and peripheral nervous system. Between March and September 2020, NIMHANS reviewed hospital records of 3,200 patients with neurological illnesses. Among them, 120 patients (3.75%) had confirmed Covid infections accompanied by neurological disorders. The median age of these patients was 49 years, with a range from 3 to 84 years.
Common symptoms included altered consciousness (47%), seizures (21%), and anosmia (14.2%). Many patients (49%) had a preceding fever, a press release issued from the office of the state Medical Education Minister on Tuesday stated.
Researchers noted that Covid can cause neurological symptoms through direct viral involvement, hypoxia, thrombotic complications, or autoimmune mechanisms.
‘Neurological disturbances observed in both active and post-Covid phases’
Importantly, neurological disturbances were observed in both active and post-Covid phases, indicating a need for long-term monitoring of patients even after recovery.
Moreover, from May to December 2021, NIMHANS prospectively evaluated 116 patients who presented with neurological complaints within 42 days of receiving a Covid vaccine. Of these, 29 individuals (25%) were diagnosed with post-vaccination demyelination, a condition involving immune-mediated damage to the central nervous system.
Key findings indicated that 27 of the 29 cases occurred following the Covishield vaccine; two followed Covaxin; most patients developed symptoms after their first dose, with the average onset being 16 days post-vaccination. Myelopathy (injury to spinal cord due to severe compression) was the most common symptom (37.9%), followed by optic neuritis (20.7%) and Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis, a neurological condition that usually happens after infection, (17.2%).
The findings noted that the majority of patients recovered with treatment, no adverse events were noted in patients who received a different vaccine brand or a second dose while on mild immunosuppression.
While the study acknowledged a possible immunogenic response in susceptible individuals, it emphasized that these neurological events were rare. It also highlighted that being a tertiary neuroimmunology centre might have increased the detection rate compared to the general population.
While neurological complications related to Covid and its vaccination are rare, the findings underscore the importance of continued monitoring, research, and public awareness.
Recommendations from NIMHANS
1 Establish a nationwide (or regional) registry to track long-term neurological effects of Covid infection and vaccination
2 Promote brain health by encouraging healthy lifestyles, minimizing excessive screen use, increasing physical activity, and ensuring adequate sleep.
3Recognize that Long-Covid effects are primarily functional and molecular, not structural—requiring tailored support and resilience-building strategies
4 Launch large-scale longitudinal studies to evaluate multi-organ involvement in Covid
5 Utilize biological sample repositories for future research into the prolonged impacts of Covid and vaccination