Inflammation on the crossword of Parkinson’s disease and COVID-19

Abstract

Worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 has resulted in various physiological manifestations mainly affecting the respiratory system and also the nervous system. Inflammation, a hallmark symptom of diseases links both COVID-19 and neurodegenerative disorders. COVID-19 infection resulted in immune responses like cytokine and chemokine production, and even cytokine storms (in severe cases), which lead to inflammation. Parkinson’s Disease (PD), characterised by motor difficulties is mainly due to α-synuclein aggregates and the disease is known to have dual instigations. In one way the central inflammation caused due to tissue injury, glial cell dysfunction and proinflammatory molecule production, resulting in Blood Brain Barrier leakage and in another way peripheral inflammation occurs due to altered gut microbiome after pathogen attack, producing inflammatory mediators. Inflammation being a potential threat for onset and progression of PD is the major concern of this article. Immediate effect of COVID-19 might be respiratory ailment and hypoxia might contribute to inflammation but the long-lasting effects are uncertain which might increase neurodegenerative diseases in future. Anti-inflammatory therapeutic interventions have already shown varied results for COVID-19 infections of various stages but its impact on PD is yet to be studied. Here, we have elucidated the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of PD and developing new therapeutic approach by targeting the inflammatory cascade.