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Beginning with speculation about possible influenza involvement in von Economo encephalitis, which was first identified in 1917 and included parkinsonian manifestations, researchers have been curious about the relation between influenza viruses and neurological symptoms. In the current study, scientists infected mice with the H5N1 avian influenza virus and followed them for 90 days. They examined the route of infection through the autonomic, peripheral, and central nervous systems and examined neuronal apoptosis, microglial activation, and synuclein expression and aggregation.
Acute viral infection was present until day 10. Between days 2 and 10, virus was present progressively in the enteric nervous system, dorsal root ganglion, cranial ner…