The world faces an exceptional new public health concern caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), subsequently termed the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO). Although the clinical symptoms mostly have been characterized, the scientific community still doesn´t know how SARS-CoV-2 successfully reaches and spreads throughout the central nervous system (CNS) inducing brain damage. The recent detection of SARS-CoV-2 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in frontal lobe sections from postmortem examination has confirmed the presence of the virus in neural tissue. This finding reveals a new direction in the search for a neurotherapeutic strategy in the COVID-19 patients with underlying diseases. Here, we discuss the COVID-19 outbreak in a neuroinvasiveness context and suggest the therapeutic use of high doses of melatonin, which may favorably modulate the immune response and neuroinflammation caused by SARS-CoV-2. However, clinical trials elucidating the efficacy of melatonin in the prevention and clinical management in the COVID-19 patients should be actively encouraged.

世界面临着由严重急性呼吸系统综合症冠状病毒 2 (SARS-CoV-2) 引起的特殊新公共卫生问题，后来被世界卫生组织 (WHO) 称为冠状病毒病 2019 (COVID-19)。尽管临床症状大多已经表征，但科学界仍然不知道 SARS-CoV-2 如何成功到达并传播到整个中枢神经系统 (CNS)，从而导致脑损伤。最近在脑脊液 (CSF) 和尸检额叶切片中检测到 SARS-CoV-2，证实了神经组织中存在该病毒。这一发现揭示了在患有基础疾病的 COVID-19 患者中寻找神经治疗策略的新方向。这里，我们在神经侵袭性背景下讨论了 COVID-19 爆发，并建议使用高剂量褪黑激素进行治疗，这可能有利于调节 SARS-CoV-2 引起的免疫反应和神经炎症。然而，应积极鼓励开展阐明褪黑激素在 COVID-19 患者预防和临床管理中疗效的临床试验。