SARS_CoV_2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can directly enter the nervous system. The virus can infect the brain, causing alterations in blood vessels and directly disrupt oxygen supply to the organ.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: How COVID-19 Is Likely to Impact the Brain
Using over a century of data from other pandemics, and applying knowledge about the current COVID-19 infection, researchers predict the long term effects coronavirus will have on the brain and nervous system.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Scientists Prove SARS-CoV-2 Potential to Infect Human Brain Organoids
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can infect human neural progenitor cells and brain organoids. The findings back previous research, finding coronavirus can infect the human brain.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: How COVID-19 Causes Smell Loss
Infection of non-neuronal supporting cells in the nose and forebrain may be responsible for the olfactory problems associated with COVID-19. Findings suggest olfactory sensory neurons are not vulnerable to coronavirus infection as they do not express A…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Statin use is linked to lower death rate in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Cholesterol-lowering statins show promise for the treatment of severe coronavirus infections. Statins lowered the death rate and decreased the need for mechanical ventilation in patients hospitalized for severe COVID-19.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Researchers flag similarities between COVID-19 deaths and severe rheumatic illnesses
After natural killer immune cells kill virus-infected cells, T and B immune cells produce cytokines. This makes the immune reaction stronger and results in the cytokine storm associated with severe COVID-19 infection.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: COVID-19 cytokine storm: Possible mechanism for the deadly respiratory syndrome
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, enters human cells by attaching to ACE2 and utilizing TMPRSS2. Drugs that block ACE2 or inhibit the enzyme could help treat the coronavirus, but only during early infection. As the infection progresses, S…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Smokers more likely to express ACE2 protein that coronavirus uses to enter human cells
Smoking increases the gene expression of ACE2, a protein that binds to SARS-CoV-2, increasing the risk of coronavirus infection. Findings suggest long-term smokers could have an increase of ACE2 in the lungs, leading to higher rates of morbidity in COV…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: The Potential of COVID-19 to Infect the Brain
From losing the sense of taste or smell to developing an increased risk of stroke, researchers investigate both the known and potential long-term implications of COVID-19 infection in the brain.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Exploring why some COVID-19 patients lose their sense of smell
ACE2 and TMPRSS2, two proteins required for SARS-CoV-2 entry, are produced in cells in the nasal cavity that contribute to odor detection. The findings may explain why people with coronavirus often describe the loss of the sense of smell as a symptom o…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Men’s blood contains greater concentrations of enzyme that helps COVID-19 infect cells
Men have higher concentrations of ACE2 in their blood than women. As ACE2 enables coronavirus to infect cells, the findings may explain why men are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection than women.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Coronavirus infects cells of the intestine: Stool samples could be used to test for virus
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can infect intestinal cells and multiple in the gastrointestinal system. When researchers added SARS-CoV-2 to intestinal organoids, they noticed rapid infection. Researchers say in addition to nasal and throa…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Tobacco smoking increases lung entry points for COVID-19
Smoking remodels the gene expression of lung cells so that the ACE2 gene is more highly expressed in goblet cells. The effects of smoking on ACE2 pulmonary expression indicates an increase in the overall entry points for coronavirus and increases the r…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: COVID-19 study shows that men have over double the death rate of women
Males who contract COVID-19 have 2.5 times the death rate of women. Being males is a significant risk factor for worse disease severity, regardless of age. Researchers found a similar trend in data from the 2003 SARS outbreak. The study speculates the …
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Key nose cells identified as likely COVID-19 virus entry points
The receptor protein ACE2 and the TMPRSS2 protease that can activate SARS-CoV-2 entry are expressed in cells on the inner lining of the nose. Mucus producing goblet cells and ciliated cells in the nose have the highest levels of both proteins, making t…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Evidence suggests COVID-19 isn’t sexually transmitted
Previous studies report COVID-19 may be present in the testes. Researchers report coronavirus is unlikely to spread via semen, and the chances of the infection being spread through sexual transmission are remote.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Cells in lungs, nasal passage, and intestines more susceptible to COVID-19 infection
Researchers have identified specific cell types that appear to be the main targets of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Using existing data on the RNA found in different types of cells, researchers were able to identify cells that expressed A…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Slower Clearance of Coronavirus Infection May Explain Why Men Fare Worse Than Women
A new study seeks to explain why men infected by coronavirus generally show more severe symptoms and have an increased risk of death over women. Focusing on ACE2 receptors, researchers found the testes, along with the lungs and kidneys, were among area…
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Mapping SARS-CoV-2 active proteins and how COVID-19 spreads throughout the body
Researchers have mapped the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and human cells, showing which proteins are being activated and deactivated by coronavirus. The findings reveal how the virus can spread through the human body.
Article Correctness Is Author's Responsibility: Coronavirus receptor abundantly expressed in certain progenitor cells
Certain progenitor cells in the bronchi are mainly responsible for producing coronavirus receptors. These cells normally develop into respiratory tract sells linked with cilia, that clear bacteria out of the lungs.
