Discussion
Various investigations have reported different neurological disorders
attributable to COVID-19, including cerebrovascular accidents,
transverse myelitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and encephalitis (7-8). As
other possible diseases were excluded through suitable clinical and
laboratory tests, this report suggests the neuroinvasive potential of
SARS-CoV-2.
Increasing evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 might have neuro-invading
potential, which may cause clinical symptoms and brain damage (9). It
has been demonstrated that other coronaviruses may invade the CNS
implication and cause an influx of inflammatory cytokines. Human
coronavirus OC43 ( HCoV- OC43) is capable of invading neural
cells in vitro and causing widespread neuronal damage (10).
Infection with other coronaviruses, like SARS and the Middle East
Respiratory Syndrome viruses, was associated with various neurological
manifestations (11). It has been reported that SARS-CoV-1 in mice
transgenic for the human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor
can attack the CNS (12). Like SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 uses the ACE2
receptor to infect the human cells. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 may target the
CNS through this receptor (13). In summary, this report supports the
possibility of seizures in patients with COVID-19 infection in the
absence of respiratory symptoms. More investigations are needed to
determine the potential mechanisms that lead to seizures following
SARS- CoV- 2 infection.