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Review
. 2021 Aug;28(30):40445-40459.
doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-12969-9. Epub 2021 Feb 15.

COVID-19: a new emerging respiratory disease from the neurological perspective

Amr El-Sayed  1 , Lotfi Aleya  2 , Mohamed Kamel  3
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19: a new emerging respiratory disease from the neurological perspective

Amr El-Sayed et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a challenging public health catastrophe worldwide. The newly emerged disease spread in almost all countries and infected 100 million persons worldwide. The infection is not limited to the respiratory system but involves various body systems and may lead to multiple organ failure. Tissue degenerative changes result from direct viral invasion, indirect consequences, or through an uncontrolled immune response. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spreads to the brain via hematogenous and neural routes accompanied with dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier. The involvement of the central nervous system is now suspected to be among the main causes of death. The present review discusses the historical background of coronaviruses, their role in previous and ongoing pandemics, the way they escape the immune system, why they are able to spread despite all undertaken measures, in addition to the neurological manifestations, long-term consequences of the disease, and various routes of viral introduction to the CNS.

Keywords: ACE2 receptors; COVID-19; MERS; Neurological signs; SARS-CoV-2.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Cytokine storm induced by SARS-CoV-2
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Schematic diagram of SARS-CoV-2
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Binding and internalization of SARS-CoV-2 via ACE2 receptors and destruction of ACE2-producing tissues
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Postulated mechanisms of effect of SARS-CoV-2 on nervous system
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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