Neurological disorders in Covid-19: clinical involvement and pathophysiological mechanisms

Abstract

The recent COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has conditioned a severe pulmonary disease with multi-system involvement. Recently, a variety of neurological disorders has been associated with this infection, including lack of smell (anosmia), lack of taste (ageusia), headache, myalgias, confusional states (encephalopathies), dizziness, seizures, strokes, and cranial and peripheral nerve palsies. A direct damage by the virus as well as secondary inflammatory and immune mechanisms triggered by the viral infection may be responsible for the nervous system abnormalities. The virus can gain access to the nervous system from the bloodstream and/or through the peripheral nerves in a retrograde transport. There is no specific therapy for these problems, thus treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Oftentimes a prothrombotic state is created during the infection; hence, anticoagulation should be considered in those patients.