Cytometric parameters of cerebral cortex neurons in COVID-19

COVID-19 has recently been one of the greatest challenges of public health services worldwide. SARS-CoV-19 affects not only the respiratory, but also other systems, including the brain. It causes strokes, meningitis, encephalopathy, encephalitis, etc. Due to the multifactorial nature and complexity of COVID-19 pathogenesis, studying its impact on brain tissue is relevant. The aim of the work is to study the cytometric parameters of neurons in the parietal-occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex in patients who died due to COVID-19. Materials and Methods. For histomorphological examination, autopsies of the parietal-occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex were fixed in 10 % neutral formalin and embedded in paraffin. Cross sections (5-6 pm) were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Histologic specimens were studied under a light microscope. Morphometric measurements of the nucleus and cytoplasm area of neurons of the parietal-occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex were performed on the images. The nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio was calculated. The results of the histomorphological study were analyzed along with the medical history. For comparison, autopsies of the parietal-occipital lobe of the cerebral cortex from patients who died from cerebral infarction were used. Results. Nucleus and cytoplasm areas of neurons in the pyramidal and ganglionic layers of the cerebral cortex were measured. In the cerebral cortex, COVID-19 mainly affects the microvasculature vessels, disrupting their permeability and causing hemorrhages. Damage to the neurons of the cerebral cortex is less pronounced and does not have any specific pathomorphological picture, which corresponds to the pattern of long-term ischemic effects on the gray matter.