Neurological symptoms due to Covid-19. Are they really frequent?

Abstract

Introduction: In December 2019, a pneumonia of unknown cause, led to the detection of the new SARS-CoV-2 with an alarming increase in cases worldwide and important critical challenges for public health. In addition to the clinical signs and symptoms initially described, there are reports of a possible neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV-2 and associated neurological complications, although this appears to be an uncommon phenomenon.

Objectives: To analyze the frequency of neurological symptoms associated with Covid-19.

Material and methods: Retrospective study, of a bibliographic review by means of a non-systematic search for keywords related to Covid-19, neurotropism and neurological symptoms reported in the literature from January 2020 to October 2020.

Results: The number of patients with this type of complications compared to the number of infected and hospitalized patients could be relatively low and some of the associated neurological symptoms could be more related to the systemic and indirect impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the brain than with a parenchymal invasion.

Conclusions: Although there are reports of neurological complications in patients with Covid-19, it is not known with certainty if SARS-CoV-2 is neurotropic in humans. It remains to be clarified whether the possible invasion of SARS-CoV-2 is partially responsible for the acute respiratory failure of patients, as well as to demonstrate the association of neurological symptoms with the presence of SARS-CoV-2 within the CNS. Timely analysis and isolation of the virus in the CNS is crucial to establish the neurological spectrum of the virus, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, and its possible long-term neurological sequelae.