Underestimated Virus-Impaired Cognition-More Evidence and More Work to Do

Maher Un Nisa Awan¹Faisal Mahmood²Xiaobin Peng¹Jun Xu^3*

• ¹1.Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, No. 176 Qingnian Road,Kunming 650021, China, Kunming, China
• ²3.Central Laboratory, Liver Disease Research Center and Department of Infectious Disease, The Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University, Kunming 650021, China, Kunming, China
• ³Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are fatal chronic neurological diseases that can be of idiopathic, genetic, or even of potentially infectious origin. Although the exact cause of neurodegeneration is unknown, it is most likely a might be result of a confluence of age, genetic susceptibility factors, and environmental stresses. The blood-brain barrier shields the brain from the majority of viral infections, however neurotropic viruses are able to evade breach this barrier and infect central nervous system cells. Viral infections of neuroglial cells can activate microglia and astrocytes, which in turn produce a variety of proinflammatory cytokines. The overabundance of proinflammatory cytokines causes the blood-brain barrier to become more permeable, making it easier for the virus to penetrate the central nervous system. Growing research points to a possible connection between viruses and neurodegenerative diseases, indicating that virus-induced neuroinflammation and disruption of neuronal protein quality control may play a role in the initial stages of disease progression. The diagnosis and treatment of NDs are urgent and challenging.Currently, there are limited or no effective antiviral drugs available for viral infection of the central nervous system (CNS). Even though there is limited clinical evidence to support the use of antiviral medications and their dose regimens within the central nervous system (CNS), with the exception of acyclovir, they are currently utilized to treat various viral CNS infections. In order to improve the survivor rate and lessen severe neurological sequelae, symptoms may be relieved as soon as the virus invades neurons and stops causing harm. Understanding the neuropathogenesis of viral CNS infection may help with targeted diagnosis and treatment plans by focusing on the molecular mechanisms of the CNS. It may also be helpful in the search for new antiviral drugs, which are crucial for better managing these neurotropic viral infections. This review focuses on new findings linking viral infection to NDs and explores how viral modifications of cellular functions can impact the development of neurodegeneration and will also explore the therapeutic potential of antiviral drugs in NDs.