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Review
. 2020 May 1;70(9):311-322.
doi: 10.33588/rn.7009.2020179.

Neurological complications of coronavirus and COVID-19

[Article in English, Spanish]
F J Carod-Artal  1   2
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Neurological complications of coronavirus and COVID-19

[Article in English, Spanish]
F J Carod-Artal. Rev Neurol. .
Free article

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Introduction: Clinical and experimental studies have shown that the coronavirus family has a certain tropism for the central nervous system. Seven types of coronavirus can infect humans.

Development: Coronaviruses are not always confined to the respiratory tract, and under certain conditions they can invade the central nervous system and cause neurological pathologies. The potential for neuroinvasion is well documented in most human coronaviruses (OC-43, 229E, MERS and SARS) and in some animal coronaviruses (porcine haemagglutinating encephalomyelitis coronavirus). Neurological symptoms have been reported in patients affected by COVID-19, such as headache, dizziness, myalgia and anosmia, as well as cases of encephalopathy, encephalitis, necrotising haemorrhagic encephalopathy, stroke, epileptic seizures, rhabdomyolysis and Guillain-Barre syndrome, associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Conclusions: Future epidemiological studies and case records should elucidate the real incidence of these neurological complications, their pathogenic mechanisms and their therapeutic options.

Title: Complicaciones neurológicas por coronavirus y COVID-19.

Introducción. Estudios clínicos y experimentales han demostrado que la familia de los coronavirus tiene un cierto tropismo por el sistema nervioso central. Siete tipos de coronavirus pueden contagiar al ser humano. Desarrollo. Los coronavirus no siempre permanecen confinados en el tracto respiratorio, y en determinadas condiciones pueden invadir el sistema nervioso central y causar patologías neurológicas. La capacidad potencial de neuroinvasión está bien documentada en la mayor parte de los coronavirus humanos (OC-43, 229E, MERS y SARS) y en algunos coronavirus animales (coronavirus de la encefalomielitis hemaglutinante porcina). Se han descrito síntomas neurológicos en pacientes afectos por COVID-19, como cefalea, mareo, mialgias y anosmia, así como casos de encefalopatía, encefalitis, encefalopatía necrotizante hemorrágica, ictus, crisis epilépticas, rabdomiólisis y síndrome de Guillain-Barré, asociados a la infección por el SARS-CoV-2. Conclusiones. Futuros estudios epidemiológicos y registros de casos deben elucidar la incidencia real de estas complicaciones neurológicas, sus mecanismos patogénicos y sus opciones terapéuticas.

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