• David Fischer, Zachary D Threlkeld, Yelena G Bodien, John E Kirsch, Susie Y Huang, Pamela W Schaefer, Otto Rapalino, Leigh R Hochberg, Bruce R Rosen, and Brian L Edlow.
• Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• Ann. Neurol. 2020 Oct 1; 88 (4): 851-854.

AbstractMany patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain unresponsive after surviving critical illness. Although several structural brain abnormalities have been described, their impact on brain function and implications for prognosis are unknown. Functional neuroimaging, which has prognostic significance, has yet to be explored in this population. Here we describe a patient with severe COVID-19 who, despite prolonged unresponsiveness and structural brain abnormalities, demonstrated intact functional network connectivity, and weeks later recovered the ability to follow commands. When prognosticating for survivors of severe COVID-19, clinicians should consider that brain networks may remain functionally intact despite structural injury and prolonged unresponsiveness. ANN NEUROL 2020;88:851-854.© 2020 American Neurological Association.

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