Introduction:

On December 2019, it was reported in China a new coronavirus that was classified and named as severe acute respiratory syndrome by coronavirus 2 that caused COVID-19 disease being able to provoque neurologic symptoms and complications.

Objective:

To describe the neuroinvasive and neurological damage mechanisms in the infections by coronavirus.

Methods:

From PubMed, SciELO and Latindex databases it was a selection of articles published from 2005 to May 2020 on: direct neurologic lesion, indirect neurologic lesion, and the mechanisms of neuronal death in the infection by coronavirus. Studies in humans, animals for experiments and in vitro studies were included.

Results:

The neuroinvasive properties of coronavirus are demonstrated, but it is not fully clear the physiopathology that has to do with neuroinvasion and the neurological damage in the infection by SARS-CoV-2. The neurotropic properties of the new coronavirus were proved by the presence of the virus in the spinal fluid and the brain. The mechanisms which explain the neurological damage are present in patients with severe forms of COVID-19 and they justify the clinical manifestations and neurological complications of the disease.

Final considerations:

The coronaviruses are neuroinvasive and neurotropic, with potential for causing neurologic disease. The physiopathologic hypotheses show that the manifestations in the nervous system are due to inflammatory causes. There is a need of conducting studies in the biomolecular level to accept or refute those theories. That will help to better classify all the spectrum of neuropathologies and to achieve a consensus on the best diagnostic strategies and treatment modalities.

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