Fig. 1.

Mechanism(s) for SARS-CoV-2 entry to CNS (01) and neuronal target(s) for SARS-CoV-2 post entry (02). SARS-CoV-2 entry to the CNS occurs via BBB endothelial cells, viral spike proteins bind the host ACE2 receptors, with facilitated viral entry activating the viral envelope glycoproteins, and finally more interaction occurs via the host cofactor proteins neuropilins, MMPs, tyrosine kinase receptors, basigin, CD147, RAGE, and AGTR2. Post SARS-CoV-2 entry to the host cell, viral replication promotion occurs, induced host cell apoptosis plus cytokines and chemokines overproduction, with reduced host interferon formation, leads to host-cell necrosis, host mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction, and inflammasome and autophagy activation and caspase-independent host cell death, all are triggered via various viral-ORF-genes. v = virus