Blood-brain barrier disruption: A key interface between coronavirus disease 2019-related systemic inflammation and cognitive impairment

抄録

The prevalence of dementia has increased with the rising aging population worldwide, and aging and dementia are known risk factors for delirium, a condition that is closely related to inflammation, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. It originated in Wuhan city, China in early December 2019 and has spread rapidly worldwide ever since. The elderly population are at a higher risk of contracting the virus than other age groups. Evidence has shown that many patients with COVID-19 exhibit symptoms of delirium, disproportionally affecting the elderly, and this is concerning due to the close association between dementia and delirium. Impairment of cerebrovascular functions, especially the blood-brain barrier, plays a key role in delirium and subsequent dementia caused by inflammation from infectious diseases, such as COVID-19.