Author: Akhmetova Aigerim
Editor: Merentsova Anastasia
As you know, the nervous tissue consists of neurons (nerve cells), which have the ability to generate and conduct nerve impulses, and neuroglia cells (gliocytes), which perform a number of auxiliary functions and ensure the activity of neurons. Certain types of neurons, microglia and human astrocytes are targets for SARS-CoV-2 (the causative agent of COVID-19).
During the course of the study, the genomic sequence of SARS was found in the cytoplasm, which explains the neurological symptoms observed during infection and uncovers the possible consequences of a viral infection.
Clinical signs indicating the penetration of SARS-CoV-2 through the blood-brain barrier include neuralgia (attacks of pain in the innervation zone of a nerve), confusion, decreased sense of smell, taste disturbance, and altered consciousness.
Despite the fact that the HCoV-OC-43 invasion pathway in the central nervous system has recently been described (the virus gains access to the central nervous system through the olfactory bulb, moving along the olfactory nerve), the exact mechanism of neuroinvasion carried out by respiratory viruses currently remains open.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32978729/
