MDS 2021 | Neurological disorders & COVID-19 vaccines

Angelo Antonini, MD, PhD, University of Padua, Padua, Italy, debates the potential neurological consequences of the vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines cause the expression of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in the host, which is implicated in the immune reactions observed during COVID-19 infections. Therefore, there are concerns that the expression of the spike protein due to the vaccine can cause similar reactions. However, until now, evidence suggests that the vaccine is well-tolerated as there is no evidence of long-term effects after vaccination, except for some cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome. This interview took place during the 2021 International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders.