Pathogenesis of Neurological and Mental Disorders in Patients with Covid-19: Possible Role of Reactive Nitrogen and Oxygen Species

Abstract

The pathogenesis of neuronal and mental disorders are analyzed according to the literature and compared with other neuronal damage during hypoxia/ischemia, inflammatory processes, and immune/autoimmune diseases. The free radical component of the development of the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is analyzed, which is activated at all stages of the disease, starting with the first manifestations of inflammatory reactions, during the development of a «cytokine storm», hypoxia/ischemia, as well as activation of immune/autoimmune reactions and processes. These free radical components are realized against the background of disruption of the cycles of nitric oxide and superoxide anion radical, and, leads to the formation of extremely high concentrations of very active radicals of nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), OH-radicals, peroxynitrites. As a result of these processes, nonspecific reactions are activated that are characteristic of the development of any typical pathological process, which is a common component of almost all known pathological processes. It is suggested that the similarity of structural and ultrastructural changes in neurons and glial cells of the brain during hypoxia/ischemia, glutamate neurotoxicity, traumatic brain injury have similarities with those changes that are characteristic of all stages of COVID-19 development and are due to the activation of oxidative and nitrosative stress and increased formation of highly reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) capable of damaging almost all molecular, biochemical and chemical components of cells.