1.0 Risk-factors for neuro-COVID
1.1 Obtain data (clinical, behaviour, biospecimen, genetic, imaging) in patients
1.2 Identify association between each measure and neuro-COVID
2.0 Neuropathogenesis – origination and development – of neuro-COVID
2.1 Confirm that SARS-CoV-2 has the ability to invade the CNS, i.e. is neuroinvasive, through the collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and other CNS tissue samples.
2.2 Understand mechanism of neuroinvasion: How does the virus enter the CNS and propagate?
2.2.1 Viral tropism: Which types of cells and tissues does the virus infect? Does SARS-CoV-2 attack the CNS preferentially, i.e. is the virus neurotropic?
2.2.2 Evidence for various pathways of entry and propagation. May include animal models.;
3.0 Diagnostic potential
3.1 Identify and measure molecular biomarkers of CNS infection and/or inflammation
3.2 Understand and classify clinical manifestations of neuro-COVID in patients
4.0 Long-term sequelae and elucidating linkages to neurological disease
4.1 Measure and categorize cognitive and neurological deficits.
4.2 Relate neurological sequalae to primary symptomology of SARS-CoV-2.
5.0 Potential therapeutics
5.1 Mitigate risk-factors
5.2 Prevent viral neuroinvasion
5.3 Treat associated and ongoing neurodegenerative disease
Across all: sex and gender considerations; ethical, social and legal implications, where relevant