Nervous system involvement after infection with COVID-19 and other coronaviruses

Yeshun Wu; Xiaolin Xu; Zijun Chen; Jiahao Duan; Kenji Hashimoto; Ling Yang; Cunming Liu; Chun Yang

doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2020.03.031

Nervous system involvement after infection with COVID-19 and other coronaviruses

Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Jul:87:18-22. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.03.031. Epub 2020 Mar 30.

Authors

Yeshun Wu¹, Xiaolin Xu², Zijun Chen³, Jiahao Duan³, Kenji Hashimoto⁴, Ling Yang³, Cunming Liu⁵, Chun Yang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
³ Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China.
⁴ Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba 260-8670, Japan.
⁵ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. Electronic address: cunmingliu@njmu.edu.cn.
⁶ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. Electronic address: chunyang@njmu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Viral infections have detrimental impacts on neurological functions, and even to cause severe neurological damage. Very recently, coronaviruses (CoV), especially severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV 2 (SARS-CoV-2), exhibit neurotropic properties and may also cause neurological diseases. It is reported that CoV can be found in the brain or cerebrospinal fluid. The pathobiology of these neuroinvasive viruses is still incompletely known, and it is therefore important to explore the impact of CoV infections on the nervous system. Here, we review the research into neurological complications in CoV infections and the possible mechanisms of damage to the nervous system.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronaviruses infection; Mechanisms; Nervous system.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Betacoronavirus
COVID-19
Consciousness Disorders / etiology
Consciousness Disorders / physiopathology
Coronavirus 229E, Human
Coronavirus Infections / complications
Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology*
Coronavirus NL63, Human
Coronavirus OC43, Human
Dysgeusia / etiology
Dysgeusia / physiopathology
Encephalitis / etiology
Encephalitis / physiopathology
Encephalitis, Viral / etiology
Encephalitis, Viral / physiopathology
Guillain-Barre Syndrome / etiology
Guillain-Barre Syndrome / physiopathology
Humans
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
Nervous System Diseases / etiology
Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology*
Neurotoxicity Syndromes / etiology
Neurotoxicity Syndromes / physiopathology
Neurotoxicity Syndromes / virology
Olfaction Disorders / etiology
Olfaction Disorders / physiopathology
Pandemics
Pneumonia, Viral / complications
Pneumonia, Viral / physiopathology*
Polyneuropathies / etiology
Polyneuropathies / physiopathology
SARS-CoV-2
Seizures / etiology
Seizures / physiopathology
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / complications
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / physiopathology
Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus
Stroke / etiology
Stroke / physiopathology