ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AS A RISK FACTOR FOR COVID 19: IMPACTS ON BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER FUNCTION IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, along with life threatening symptoms, the world health organization (WHO) also recognized, during the peak of the pandemic, an increase in alcoholic beverages consumption. It is known that chronic alcohol consumption leads to neuroinflammation and is a recognized risk fator for increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, by affecting immune response. We described that in the central nervoys system (CNS) chronic alcohol exposure promotes severe blood vessel dysfunction in the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is the structure that controls oxygenation and nutrient delivery to CNS cells. We also recently described that SARS-CoV-2 infection of brain microcapillary endothelial cells (HMBECs) of the BBB, leads to endothelial activation and pro-inflammatory proteomic profile induction.