Neuroinvasiveness refers to the ability of a virus to enter the CNS or PNS, regardless of whether the virus specifically infects, or replicates in, cells of the nervous system. Cranial nerves (CNs), particularly the olfactory nerve, are suspected to contribute to the neuroinvasiveness of SARS-CoV-2. Other possibilities for neuroinvasion of SARS-CoV-2 are through hematogenous spread via either the blood–brain barrier (BBB) or the blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier (B-CSFB). Virus antigen or viral RNA (indicated by the green corona-like icon) have been detected in the cell types or structures marked in bold. Potential sites of viral replication, with inconsistent evidence to date, are formatted in italics.
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