Balint-Holmes Syndrome due to stroke following SARS-CoV-2 infection: a single case report

Abstract

In the present case report we describe the clinical features of a patient showing Balint-Holmes’ syndrome following bilateral parieto-occipital damage due to a stroke after SARS-CoV-2 infection. During neuropsychological assessment, the patient demonstrated severe optic ataxia, simulatanagnosia and gaze apraxia, which represent pathognomonic signs of Balint-Holmes’ syndrome. As several studies demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection can affect the central nervous system, especially in presence of specific risks factors and neurological symptoms such as ageusia and anosmia, we considered the infection as a likely causal factor in our patient. Notwithstanding the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and stroke has not been fully comprehended, our report contributes to raising attention on the possibility that it can lead to even quite rare cognitive defects.