Cognitive decline following acute viral infections: literature review and projections for post-COVID-19
- 25 June 2021
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Archiv Fur Psychiatrie Und Nervenkrankheiten
- Vol. 272 (1), 139-154
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-021-01286-4
Abstract
Recently, much attention has been drawn to the importance of the impact of infectious disease on human cognition. Several theories have been proposed, to explain the cognitive decline following an infection as well as to understand better the pathogenesis of human dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease. This article aims to review the state of the art regarding the knowledge about the impact of acute viral infections on human cognition, laying a foundation to explore the possible cognitive decline followed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To reach this goal, we conducted a narrative review systematizing six acute viral infections as well as the current knowledge about COVID-19 and its impact on human cognition. Recent findings suggest probable short- and long-term COVID-19 impacts in cognition, even in asymptomatic individuals, which could be accounted for by direct and indirect pathways to brain dysfunction. Understanding this scenario might help clinicians and health leaders to deal better with a wave of neuropsychiatric issues that may arise following COVID-19 pandemic as well as with other acute viral infections, to alleviate the cognitive sequelae of these infections around the world.Keywords
This publication has 186 references indexed in Scilit:
- Estimated global mortality associated with the first 12 months of 2009 pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus circulation: a modelling studyThe Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2012
- The Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome Cognitive Outcomes StudyAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2012
- Influenza Infection Induces Neuroinflammation, Alters Hippocampal Neuron Morphology, and Impairs Cognition in Adult MiceJournal of Neuroscience, 2012
- Cognition, Aging, and Disabilities: Conceptual IssuesPhysical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 2010
- Antiviral agents in Alzheimer’s disease: hope for the future?Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders, 2010
- The Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Amyloid β-Protein Is an Antimicrobial PeptidePLOS ONE, 2010
- Distribution of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and Varicella Zoster Virus in Ganglia of the Human Head and NeckThe Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2009
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection Causes Neuronal Death in the Absence of Encephalitis in Mice Transgenic for Human ACE2Journal of Virology, 2008
- Lethal Infection of K18- hACE2 Mice Infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronavirusJournal of Virology, 2007
- Writing narrative literature reviews for peer-reviewed journals: secrets of the tradeJournal of Chiropractic Medicine, 2006