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Neuroinflammation and Brain Development: Possible Risk Factors in COVID-19-Infected Children

Luana da Silva Chagas1, Poliana Capucho Sandre2, Patricia Coelho de Velasco3

  • 1Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Neurobiology Department, Biology Institute, Federal Fluminense University, Niteroi, Brazil.

Neuroimmunomodulation
|February 2, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause neuroinflammation in children, potentially leading to neurodevelopmental disorders. This review examines risk factors like cytokine surges and maternal health conditions impacting pediatric brain development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Neuroimmunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • COVID-19 in children often presents with milder symptoms than in adults.
  • Neurological complications, including neuroinflammatory syndromes like MIS-C, have been reported post-mild COVID-19.
  • Viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2, can trigger proinflammatory cytokine release affecting brain development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review potential risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders in children infected with SARS-CoV-2.
  • To explore the interplay between viral infection, neuroinflammation, and noninfectious conditions.
  • To highlight factors impacting pediatric neural development mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on COVID-19 in children.
  • Analysis of mechanisms linking SARS-CoV-2 infection to neuroinflammation.
  • Examination of noninfectious contributing factors and their impact on neural development.

Main Results:

  • SARS-CoV-2 can induce neuroinflammation via cytokine surges, potentially harming microglial function.
  • Noninfectious factors like nutritional imbalances and prenatal alcohol exposure may exacerbate inflammation.
  • Thyroid dysfunction, including transient thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism, can occur and impact pregnancy.

Conclusions:

  • Combined factors of SARS-CoV-2 infection, neuroinflammation, and maternal health issues pose risks to pediatric neural development.
  • Potential impacts include disruptions to synaptic pruning and neural circuitry formation.
  • Further research is needed to understand and mitigate the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in COVID-19-affected children.

Keywords:
Brain developmentCOVID-19ChildrenEnvironmental risk factorsNeuroinflammationNutritionSynapse formation

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