Microbiota-Gut-Brain Communication in the SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Luana M. Manosso,
Camila O. Arent,
Laura A. Borba,
Luciane B. Ceretta,
João Quevedo,
Gislaine Z. Réus
Affiliations
Luana M. Manosso
Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma 77054-000, SC, Brazil
Camila O. Arent
Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma 77054-000, SC, Brazil
Laura A. Borba
Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma 77054-000, SC, Brazil
Luciane B. Ceretta
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma 88806-000, SC, Brazil
João Quevedo
Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma 77054-000, SC, Brazil
Gislaine Z. Réus
Translational Psychiatry Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNESC), Criciúma 77054-000, SC, Brazil
The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In addition to pneumonia, individuals affected by the disease have neurological symptoms. Indeed, SARS-CoV-2 has a neuroinvasive capacity. It is known that the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 leads to a cytokine storm. An exacerbated inflammatory state can lead to the blood–brain barrier (BBB) damage as well as to intestinal dysbiosis. These changes, in turn, are associated with microglial activation and reactivity of astrocytes that can promote the degeneration of neurons and be associated with the development of psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Studies also have been shown that SARS-CoV-2 alters the composition and functional activity of the gut microbiota. The microbiota-gut-brain axis provides a bidirectional homeostatic communication pathway. Thus, this review focuses on studies that show the relationship between inflammation and the gut microbiota–brain axis in SARS-CoV-2 infection.