TY - JOUR T1 - COVID-19 Neuropathology: evidence for SARS-CoV-2 invasion of Human Brainstem Nuclei JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/2022.06.29.498117 SP - 2022.06.29.498117 AU - Aron Emmi AU - Stefania Rizzo AU - Luisa Barzon AU - Michele Sandre AU - Elisa Carturan AU - Alessandro Sinigaglia AU - Silvia Riccetti AU - Mila della Barbera AU - Rafael Boscolo-Berto AU - Patrizia Cocco AU - Veronica Macchi AU - Angelo Antonini AU - Monica De Gaspari AU - Cristina Basso AU - Raffaele De Caro AU - Andrea Porzionato Y1 - 2022/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/07/05/2022.06.29.498117.abstract N2 - Neurological manifestations are common in COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Despite reports of SARS-CoV-2 detection in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of COVID-19 patients, it’s still unclear whether the virus can infect the central nervous system, and which neuropathological alterations can be ascribed to viral tropism, rather than immune-mediated mechanisms.Here, we assess neuropathological alterations in 24 COVID-19 patients and 18 matched controls who died due to pneumonia / respiratory failure. Aside from a wide spectrum of neuropathological alterations, SARS-CoV-2-immunoreactive neurons were detected in specific brainstem nuclei of 5 COVID-19 subjects. Viral RNA was also detected by real-time RT-PCR. Quantification of reactive microglia revealed an anatomically segregated pattern of inflammation within affected brainstem regions, and was higher when compared to controls. While the results of this study support the neuroinvasive potential of SARS-CoV-2, the role of SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism in COVID-19 and its long-term sequelae require further investigation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest. ER -