SARS‐CoV‐2 has infected hundreds of millions of people with over four million dead, resulting in one of the worst global pandemics in recent history. Neurological symptoms associated with COVID‐19 include anosmia, ageusia, headaches, confusion, delirium, and strokes. These may manifest due to viral entry into the central nervous system (CNS) through the blood–brain barrier (BBB) by means of ill‐defined mechanisms. Here, we summarize the abilities of SARS‐CoV‐2 and other neurotropic RNA viruses, including Zika virus and Nipah virus, to cross the BBB into the CNS, highlighting the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in assessing presence and severity of brain structural changes in COVID‐19 patients. We present new insight into key mutations in SARS‐CoV‐2 variants B.1.1.7 (P681H) and B.1.617.2 (P681R), which may impact on neuropilin 1 (NRP1) binding and CNS invasion. We postulate that SARS‐CoV‐2 may infect both peripheral cells capable of crossing the BBB and brain endothelial cells to traverse the BBB and spread into the brain. COVID‐19 patients can be followed up with MRI modalities to better understand the long‐term effects of COVID‐19 on the brain.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
334 Leonard St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.