Serotonin signaling: a new player and therapeutic target beyond Long‐haul coronavirus disease

Abstract

Abstract During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, a subset of individuals continues to suffer from symptoms including fatigue, post‐exertional malaise, dyspnea, bone loss, and memory and neurocognitive dysfunction for months and even years after infection. This clinical phenomenon has been labeled ‘Long‐haul COVID’ or ‘post‐acute sequelae of COVID‐19 (PASC)’; however, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms remain unclear. In a recent study published in Cell, Wong et al. revealed that viral infection and type I interferon‐driven reduction of peripheral serotonin impaired hippocampal responses and short‐term memory through vagal neurons in patients with PASC. Therefore, the study provided novel insights into how serotonin links persistent viral inflammation with the neurocognitive symptoms of Long‐haul COVID and actionable therapeutic targets for patients with PASC.

Keywords

• COVID‐19
• neurocognitive disorders
• serotonin