Question:

Can COVID-19 cause seizures?

Answered by neurologist Thomas Scott Diesing, MD:

Yes, COVID-19 has been known to cause seizures.

A person with COVID-19 who also experiences a seizure typically already has epilepsy or other underlying risk factors. Like in any illness, when someone with epilepsy gets sick or dehydrated, that can provoke a seizure. But there have also been first-time seizures in people.

There are different types of seizures. COVID-19 usually causes a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, also called a grand mal seizure.

See what other neurological issues COVID-19 can cause.