The Infected Lungs and Brain Interface in COVID-19: The Impact on Cognitive Function

Larissa Joaquim; Amanda Della Giustina; Richard Simon Machado; Kiuanne Lino Lobo Metzker; Sandra Bonfante; Lucineia Gainski Danielski; Mariana Pereira de Souza Goldim; Fabricia Petronilho

doi:10.1159/000526653

The Infected Lungs and Brain Interface in COVID-19: The Impact on Cognitive Function

Neuroimmunomodulation. 2022;29(4):269-281. doi: 10.1159/000526653. Epub 2022 Nov 2.

Authors

Larissa Joaquim¹, Amanda Della Giustina², Richard Simon Machado¹, Kiuanne Lino Lobo Metzker¹, Sandra Bonfante¹, Lucineia Gainski Danielski³, Mariana Pereira de Souza Goldim¹, Fabricia Petronilho³

Affiliations

¹ Health Sciences Unit, Laboratory of Neurobiology of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of South Santa Catarina, Tubarao, Brazil.
² School of Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
³ Laboratory of Experimental Neurology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciuma, Brazil.

Abstract

Many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-recovered patients report signs and symptoms and are experiencing neurological, psychiatric, and cognitive problems. However, the exact prevalence and outcome of cognitive sequelae is unclear. Even though the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has target brain cells through binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor in acute infection, several studies indicate the absence of the virus in the brain of many COVID-19 patients who developed neurological disorders. Thus, the COVID-19 mechanisms for stimulating cognitive dysfunction may include neuroinflammation, which is mediated by a sustained systemic inflammation, a disrupted brain barrier, and severe glial reactiveness, especially within the limbic system. This review explores the interplay of infected lungs and brain in COVID-19 and its impact on the cognitive function.

Keywords: COVID-19; Cognitive dysfunction; Neuroinflammation; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain / metabolism
COVID-19* / complications
Cognition
Humans
Lung / metabolism
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism

Substances

Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A

Grants and funding

Fabricia Petronilho is a National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) research fellow. The funding sources were not involved in the conduction of the research, preparation of the article, or the decision to submit the article for publication.