Brain and COVID-19 Crosstalk: Pathophysiological and Psychological Manifestations

Abstract

The world is experiencing one of the major viral outbreaks of this millennium, caused by a plus sense single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Coronaviridae family, COVID-19, declared as pandemic by WHO. The clinical manifestations vary from asymptomatic to mild symptoms like fever, dry cough, and diarrhea, with further increase in severity leading to the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Though primary manifestations are respiratory and cardiac, various studies have shown the neuroinvasive capability of this virus resulting in neurological complications, which sometimes can precede common typical symptoms like fever and cough. Common neurological symptoms are headache, dizziness, anosmia, dysgeusia, confusion, and muscle weakening, progressing toward severe complications like cerebrovascular disease, seizures, or paralysis. Older adults and critically ill people are in the high risk group and have shown severe neurological symptoms upon infection. COVID-19 also has a profound impact on the mental health of people across the world. In this review, we briefly discuss the neurological pathologies and psychological impact due to COVID-19, which has not only stressed the physical health of people but has also created social and economic problems resulting in mental health issues.

Body Localization of ACE-2: On the Trail of the Keyhole of SARS-CoV-2

“…On October 7, 2020 searching on PubMed "COVID-19 OR COVID-2019 OR severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 OR severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 OR 2019-nCoV OR SARS-CoV-2 OR 2019nCoV OR (Wuhan AND coronavirus) AND brain" we found 1,293 papers and most of them showed that SARS-CoV-2 invades the CNS, developing neurological impairments such as stroke, epilepsy, anosmia and hypogeusia, seizures, and encephalitis (1,66,(233)(234)(235)(236). Specifically, a retrospective analysis by Mao et al (237) underlined that about 40% of SARS-CoV-2 patients developed headache, disturbed consciousness, and other brain dysfunction symptoms (1), and an autopsy study reported the presence of edema in brain tissue of SARS-CoV-2 patients (66).…”

New needs for menopausal women during COVID-19 pandemic. A physician-based investigation

“…Social and family contacts have been reduced (14), there are fewer work opportunities and salaries have dropped (15), access to healthcare facilities has been hampered (16,17), and our future financial well-being and health along with that of our families is uncertain (18). All these factors may be having a negative impact on our psychological equilibrium (19,24), and this could be particularly evident in menopausal women, who are already living a critical period of their lives (5,17,22,23). In these women, the COVID-19 pandemic may change the prevalence of symptoms and the composite picture of menopausal complaints.…”

Rejuveinix Mitigates Sepsis-Associated Oxidative Stress in the Brain of Mice: Clinical Impact Potential in COVID-19 and Nervous System Disorders

“…More than a third of patients with COVID-19, especially those with severe to critical COVID-19 who managed on an intensive care unit (ICU) develop central nervous system (CNS) symptoms and signs (e.g., headache, dizziness, ataxia, seizure, delirium, confusion, impaired consciousness) consistent with CNS involvement and /or neurological complications (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13).…”

“…Cerebrovascular complications of viral sepsis, including ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, CNS involvement in CRS, hypoxia as well as the interplay of comorbidities have been implicated as contributing factors (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13). Due to the neuro-invasive capability of SARS-CoV-2, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and viral encephalitis have also been suspected in some patients (13).…”