Understanding the neurological implications of acute and long COVID using brain organoids

Abstract

ABSTRACT As early as in the acute phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the research community voiced concerns about the long-term implications of infection. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), like many other viruses, can trigger chronic disorders that last months or even years. Long COVID, the chronic and persistent disorder lasting more than 12 weeks after the primary infection with SARS-CoV-2, involves a variable number of neurological manifestations, ranging from mild to severe and even fatal. In vitro and in vivo modeling suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection drives changes within neurons, glia and the brain vasculature. In this Review, we summarize the current understanding of the neuropathology of acute and long COVID, with particular emphasis on the knowledge derived from brain organoid models. We highlight the advantages and main limitations of brain organoids, leveraging their human-derived origin, their similarity in cellular and tissue architecture to human tissues, and their potential to decipher the pathophysiology of long COVID.