Fig. 6

Histological findings in the brain in six fatal COVID-19 cases. a Eosinophilic degeneration of cortical neurons (“red neurons”) secondary to hypoxia; b white matter edema and congestion; c, d periventricular vessel with small fibrin clot (arrows), perivascular edema and red cells perivascular leakage (asterisk); e fibrin clot within (arrow) a vessel with lipohyalinosis and perivascular hemosiderin deposits, compatible with previous small vessel disease and cerebral microhemorrhages; f fibrin within a vessel with perivascular edema and discrete perivascular bleeding (arrow); g Alzheimer type II glia in periventricular area; h foci of periventricular neutrophilic infiltrate and recent hemorrhages (arrows); i Bielschowsky's silver stain revealing axonal disruption and thickening. j–m Immunohistochemistry reaction detected SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells (j, l) and microglial cells (k, m), (arrows), (alkaline phosphatase). a–h: H&E stain