Editorial: Stress neurobiology in COVID-19: diagnosis, neuroimaging and therapeutic tools

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is often asymptomatic in children. However, neurological involvement can occur, presenting with a broad range of manifestations. The neurological consequences of SARS-CoV-2 can vary from non-specific neurological symptoms to specific central or peripheral nervous system (CNS and PNS) diseases (3). Furthermore, the pandemic has disrupted the care for children with neurological conditions and has also resulted in significant psychological stress, which is still far from being fully quantified. In the Research Topic analysed, an extensive exploration of the wide-ranging pediatric clinical implications of various pathogenic mechanisms associated with SARS-CoV-2 on both the CNS and PNS, in acute and post-acute phases, is conducted. Possible pathogenesis, laboratory and neuroimaging assessments, treatment responses, and prognosis are identified within each diagnostic framework. Additionally, the Research Topic seeks to shed light on the less explored, non-infection-related, neurological, and psychiatric consequences of the pandemic in the youth.