Mechanisms, Effects, and Management of Neurological Complications of Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (NC-PASC)

Ian Z Ong; Dennis L Kolson; Matthew K Schindler

doi:10.3390/biomedicines11020377

Mechanisms, Effects, and Management of Neurological Complications of Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (NC-PASC)

Biomedicines. 2023 Jan 27;11(2):377. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines11020377.

Authors

Ian Z Ong¹, Dennis L Kolson², Matthew K Schindler²

Affiliations

¹ Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
² Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Abstract

With a growing number of patients entering the recovery phase following infection with SARS-CoV-2, understanding the long-term neurological consequences of the disease is important to their care. The neurological complications of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (NC-PASC) represent a myriad of symptoms including headaches, brain fog, numbness/tingling, and other neurological symptoms that many people report long after their acute infection has resolved. Emerging reports are being published concerning COVID-19 and its chronic effects, yet limited knowledge of disease mechanisms has challenged therapeutic efforts. To address these issues, we review broadly the literature spanning 2020-2022 concerning the proposed mechanisms underlying NC-PASC, outline the long-term neurological sequelae associated with COVID-19, and discuss potential clinical interventions.

Keywords: COVID-19; PASC; SARS-CoV-2; long COVID; neurology.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.