Open AccessModeling SARS-CoV-2 infection in individuals with opioid use disorder with brain organoids
Author(s) -
Moshe J Willner,
Yang Xiao,
Hye Sung Kim,
Xuejing Chen,
Bin Xu,
Kam W. Leong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of tissue engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.436
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 2041-7314
DOI - 10.1177/2041731420985299
Subject(s) - covid-19 , opioid use disorder , pandemic , medicine , organoid , opioid , hypoxia (environmental) , psychiatry , mental illness , intensive care medicine , mental health , neuroscience , virology , psychology , outbreak , receptor , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , chemistry , organic chemistry , oxygen
The COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated a preexisting epidemic: the opioid crisis. Much literature has shown that the circumstances imposed by COVID-19, such as social distancing regulations, medical and financial instability, and increased mental health issues, have been detrimental to those with opioid use disorder (OUD). In addition, unexpected neurological sequelae in COVID-19 patients suggest that COVID-19 compromises neuroimmunity, induces hypoxia, and causes respiratory depression, provoking similar effects as those caused by opioid exposure. Combined conditions of COVID-19 and OUD could lead to exacerbated complications. With limited human in vivo options to study these complications, we suggest that iPSC-derived brain organoid models may serve as a useful platform to investigate the physiological connection between COVID-19 and OUD. This mini-review highlights the advances of brain organoids in other neuropsychiatric and infectious diseases and suggests their potential utility for investigating OUD and COVID-19, respectively.