According to researchers from the Yale School of Medicine in the US, while the respiratory symptoms of COVID-19 are described, the neurological complications of infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-COV-2, is not well known. The review research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, noted the possible mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 caused neurological symptoms by comparing it with similar coronaviruses MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1, which are known to affect the central nervous system (CNS). In the study, the scientists summarised available information regarding novel coronavirus infection of the nervous system, and identified the potential tissue targets and routes of entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the CNS. According to the study, the most common neurologic complaints in COVID-19 are the loss of sense of smell and taste (anosmia and ageusia), headache, stroke, impairment of consciousness, seizure, and brain damage. “Early detection of neurological deficits may lead to improved clinical outcomes and better treatment algorithms,” the scientists wrote in the study.

Source: Hindustan Times June 01, 2020 08:48 UTC