ABSTRACT
The recent pandemic outbreak of coronavirus is pathogenic and a highly transmittable viral infection caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). In this time of ongoing pandemic, many emerging reports suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 has inimical effects on neurological functions, and even causes serious neurological damage. The neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19 include headache, dizziness, depression, anosmia, encephalitis, stroke, epileptic seizures, and Guillain-Barre syndrome along with many others. The involvement of the CNS may be related with poor prognosis and disease worsening. Here, we review the evidence of nervous system involvement and currently known neurological manifestations in COVID-19 infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. We prioritize the 332 human targets of SARS-CoV-2 according to their association with brain-related disease and identified 73 candidate genes. We prioritize these 73 genes according to their spatio-temporal expression in the different regions of brain and also through evolutionary intolerance analysis. The prioritized genes could be considered potential indicators of COVID-19-associated neurological symptoms and thus act as a possible therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of CNS manifestations associated with COVID-19 patients.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus/pathogenicity , Brain/metabolism , Coronavirus Infections/genetics , Host-Pathogen Interactions/genetics , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Pneumonia, Viral/genetics , Viral Proteins/genetics , Brain/pathology , Brain/virology , COVID-19 , Coronavirus Infections/complications , Coronavirus Infections/pathology , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Depression , Dizziness/complications , Dizziness/genetics , Dizziness/pathology , Dizziness/virology , Encephalitis/complications , Encephalitis/genetics , Encephalitis/pathology , Encephalitis/virology , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/complications , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/genetics , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/pathology , Guillain-Barre Syndrome/virology , Headache/complications , Headache/genetics , Headache/pathology , Headache/virology , Humans , Nerve Tissue Proteins/classification , Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism , Olfaction Disorders/complications , Olfaction Disorders/genetics , Olfaction Disorders/pathology , Olfaction Disorders/virology , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral/complications , Pneumonia, Viral/pathology , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , Protein Interaction Mapping , SARS-CoV-2 , Seizures/complications , Seizures/genetics , Seizures/pathology , Seizures/virology , Severity of Illness Index , Stroke/complications , Stroke/genetics , Stroke/pathology , Stroke/virology , Viral Proteins/metabolismABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Reports on neurologic manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have attracted broad attention. We present an unusual case of COVID-19-associated encephalitis mimicking a glial tumor. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 35-year-old woman presented with headache and seizures. T2 fluid-attenuated inverse recovery imaging showed hyperintensities in the left temporal lobe. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed an elevated choline peak. Imaging findings were suggestive of high-grade glioma. Antiepileptic medication failed to achieve seizure control. A left anterior temporal lobectomy was performed. The patient had no postoperative deficits, and her symptoms completely improved. Histologic examination revealed encephalitis. Postoperatively, our patient tested positive for COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Our case raises awareness of neurologic manifestations of the disease and their potential to mimic glial tumors. For prompt diagnosis and prevention of transmission, clinicians should consider COVID-19 in patients with similar presentation.