Scientific production on the effects of COVID-19 on the central nervous system: a systematic review

Abstract

Background: The presence of COVID-19 in the world has brought changes to our society. The research groups around the world started an analysis of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus interacts pathophysiologically with biological systems. Objectives: Quantify, based on the literature, the scientific production by Institution and country of origin, which related the damage of COVID-19 in the Central Nervous System (CNS). Design and setting: We conducted a literature review. It was use the databases of PubMed, LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences), SciElo and The Lancet. Results: 91 articles were included. The Institutions with the most publications were: University of California (United States), All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (India) and Qingdao University (China), with May 2020 being the period with the most publications. The most frequent symptoms caused by COVID-19 in the CNS were: Anosmia, Headache, Vomiting, Nausea and Hyposmia. Conclusions: United States, India and China were the countries with an expressive, even small, number of publications relating the effects of COVID-19 on the CNS. The largest number of publications in May 2020 shows that studies were rapidly developed shortly after the disease was raised to the level of a pandemic in March of the same year. The symptomatic effects of the disease show the primary involvement of the respiratory system with effects on the CNS.