MDS 2021 | The neurobiology of SARS-CoV-2

There is limited evidence to support the direct infection of the brain with SARS-CoV-2 virus, yet widespread reports of neurological symptoms of COVID-19 clearly demonstrate an impact of the virus on the brain. Stanley Perlman, MD, PhD, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, explains that there is a lack of understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms generating the neurological symptoms resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Therefore, this makes it difficult to provide effective treatment. Further investigation is required to understand the extent to which direct viral invasion and other proposed mechanisms, such as neuroinflammation, play a role in the development of these signs of the disease. This interview took place during the 2021 International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders.