Neurovascular injury with complement activation and inflammation in COVID-19

The underlying mechanisms by which severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to acute and long-term neurological manifestations remains obscure. We aimed to characterize the neuropathological changes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 and determine the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms. In this autopsy study of the brain, we characterized the vascular pathology, the neuroinflammatory changes and cellular and humoral immune responses by immunohistochemistry. All patients died during the first wave of the pandemic from March to July 2020. All patients were adults who died after a short duration of the infection, some had died suddenly with minimal respiratory involvement.…

• UD
  U.S. Department of Defense
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: K23NS109284, NS003130
• NC
  National Cancer Institute
• NI
  National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

  Awards: NS003130, K23NS109284
• ND
  NHLBI Division of Intramural Research

  Awards: NS003130, K23NS109284