Neurotropic Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Modeled by the Human Brain Organoids

COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a socioeconomic burden, which exhibits respiratory illness along with unexpected neurological complications. Concerns have been raised about whether the observed neurological symptoms are due to direct effects on CNS or associated with the virus?s systemic effect. Recent SARSCoV-2 infection studies using human brain organoids revealed that SARS-CoV-2 targets human neurons. Human brain organoids are stem cell-derived reductionist experimental systems that have highlighted the neurotropic effects of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we summarize the neurotoxic effects of SARS-CoV-2 using brain organoids and comprehensively discuss how brain organoids could further improve our understanding when they are fine-tuned.

Automated summary

SARS-CoV-2 targets human neurons and causes neurological symptoms, with human brain organoids playing a key role in research to enhance our understanding of this phenomenon.