[Consequences of congenital COVID-19 on the cognitive development of affected children].

Abstract

Congenital COVID-19 refers to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus acquired in utero as a result of maternal infection during pregnancy. Although vertical transmission of the virus from mother to fetus appears to be relatively infrequent, growing clinical and epidemiological evidence indicates that prenatal exposure to SARSCoV-2, as well as to the maternal immune response it elicits, may have significant implications for early neurological development. Therefore, understanding the potential cognitive consequences of congenital COVID-19 is essential for the long-term monitoring of child health in affected individuals and for the implementation of early intervention strategies. This post-pandemic perspective on the consequences for neural development has been supported by observations showing that neonates exposed to congenital COVID-19 infection have a tenfold higher incidence of developmental delay compared with those not exposed to the virus. In this review, we examine the pathogenic mechanisms that may explain the increased incidence of neurodevelopmental alterations.