SARS-CoV-2 linked to range of neurological diseases

SEATTLE — COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, is linked to a wide range of conditions that affect neurological processes, according to an expert at the 2022 American Academy of Neurology annual meeting.

“While COVID-19 does not really demonstrate a lot of invasion of the central nervous system, it also can cause acute and chronic neurological diseases,” Robyn S. Klein, MD, PhD, professor of medical sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, said during the presentation.

According to Klein, once SARS-CoV-2 enters the body, binding via endocytosis leads to negative effects in the lungs, GI tract, kidneys, heart and adipose tissue. Individuals may experience common acute neurological syndromes, such as headache, anosmia and fatigue, and less commonly, behavioral changes or rare instances of meningitis, encephalitis and cerebrovascular disease.

Chronic syndromes commonly seen with infection include headache, persistent anosmia and confusion. While dysexecutive function and memory impairment are less commonly seen, as is muscle weakness, myocarditis and autonomic neuropathy.

“The vaccine was able to decrease some of these COVID neurologic syndromes but only by about 50%, and we’re still dealing with patients who present with these symptoms,” Klein said.

In addition, COVID-19 affects growth and regeneration of the hippocampus, which is crucial in maintaining the ability to learn and retain both short- and long-term memory.

“Patients without history of neurologic diseases who succumb to COVID-19 were also found to exhibit acute loss of hippocampal neurogenesis,” Klein said, explaining that most of the studies she reviewed showed no evidence of replication of those cells once SARS-CoV-2 infection was present.