Skip to main content
Advertisement

Main menu

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Current Issue
    • Fast Forward
    • Latest Articles
    • Special Sections
    • Archive
  • Information
    • Instructions to Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • FAQs
    • For Subscribers
    • Terms & Conditions of Use
    • Permissions
  • Editorial Board
  • Alerts
    • Alerts
    • RSS Feeds
  • Virtual Issues
  • Feedback
  • Submit
  • Other Publications
    • Drug Metabolism and Disposition
    • Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
    • Molecular Pharmacology
    • Pharmacological Reviews
    • Pharmacology Research & Perspectives
    • ASPET

User menu

  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Molecular Pharmacology
  • Other Publications
    • Drug Metabolism and Disposition
    • Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
    • Molecular Pharmacology
    • Pharmacological Reviews
    • Pharmacology Research & Perspectives
    • ASPET
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Molecular Pharmacology

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Current Issue
    • Fast Forward
    • Latest Articles
    • Special Sections
    • Archive
  • Information
    • Instructions to Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • FAQs
    • For Subscribers
    • Terms & Conditions of Use
    • Permissions
  • Editorial Board
  • Alerts
    • Alerts
    • RSS Feeds
  • Virtual Issues
  • Feedback
  • Submit
  • Visit molpharm on Facebook
  • Follow molpharm on Twitter
  • Follow molpharm on LinkedIn
OtherPerspective

Does COVID19 infect the brain? If so, smokers might be at a higher risk

Nadine Kabbani and James L Olds
Molecular Pharmacology April 1, 2020, MOLPHARM-PR-2020-000014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/molpharm.120.000014
Nadine Kabbani
1George Mason University, United States
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: nkabbani@gmu.edu
James L Olds
1George Mason University, United States
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

COVID19 is a devastating global pandemic with epicenters in China, Italy, Spain, and now the United States. While the majority of infected cases appear mild, in some cases individuals present serious cardiorespiratory complications with possible long-term lung damage. Infected individuals report a range of symptoms from headaches to shortness of breath to taste and smell loss. To that end, less is known about the how the virus may impact different organ systems. The SARS-CoV2 virus, which is responsible for COVID19, is highly similar to SARS-CoV. Both viruses have evolved an ability to enter host cells through direct interaction with the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein at the surface of many cells. Published findings indicate that SARS-CoV can enter the human nervous system with evidence from both postmortem brains and detection in cerebrospinal fluid of infected individuals. Here we consider the ability of SARS-CoV2 to enter and infect the human nervous system based on the strong expression of the ACE2 target throughout the brain. Moreover, we predict that nicotine exposure through various kinds of smoking (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or vape) can increase the risk for COVID19 neuroinfection based on known functional interactions between the nicotinic receptor and ACE2. We advocate for higher surveillance and analysis of neuro-complications in infected cases.

  • angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)
  • infection
  • Neuroinflammation
  • nicotine
  • nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
  • Copyright © 2020 American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
Next
Back to top

In this issue

Molecular Pharmacology: 103 (2)
Molecular Pharmacology
Vol. 103, Issue 2
1 Feb 2023
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • About the Cover
  • Index by author
  • Editorial Board (PDF)
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for sharing this Molecular Pharmacology article.

NOTE: We request your email address only to inform the recipient that it was you who recommended this article, and that it is not junk mail. We do not retain these email addresses.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Does COVID19 infect the brain? If so, smokers might be at a higher risk
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from Molecular Pharmacology
(Your Name) thought you would be interested in this article in Molecular Pharmacology.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
OtherPerspective

Corona virus brain infection

Nadine Kabbani and James L Olds
Molecular Pharmacology April 1, 2020, MOLPHARM-PR-2020-000014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/molpharm.120.000014

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
OtherPerspective

Corona virus brain infection

Nadine Kabbani and James L Olds
Molecular Pharmacology April 1, 2020, MOLPHARM-PR-2020-000014; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/molpharm.120.000014
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • eLetters
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • G Protein Signaling Then and Now: A Tribute to Al Gilman
  • Cellular Assays Detect Pluridimensional and Biased Efficacy
Show more Perspective

Similar Articles

Advertisement
  • Home
  • Alerts
Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   RSS

Navigate

  • Current Issue
  • Fast Forward by date
  • Fast Forward by section
  • Latest Articles
  • Archive
  • Search for Articles
  • Feedback
  • ASPET

More Information

  • About Molecular Pharmacology
  • Editorial Board
  • Instructions to Authors
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Customized Alerts
  • RSS Feeds
  • Subscriptions
  • Permissions
  • Terms & Conditions of Use

ASPET's Other Journals

  • Drug Metabolism and Disposition
  • Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
  • Pharmacological Reviews
  • Pharmacology Research & Perspectives
ISSN 1521-0111 (Online)

Copyright © 2023 by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics