Neurological Complications Associated with Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections: A Scoping Review of Prospective Clinical Trials Conducted in Populations up to 17 Years of Age

Background/Objective: This study aimed to review the neurologic and cognitive complications of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) disease through studies involving infants, children, and adolescents up to 17 years of age. Methods: The PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO databases were com-prehensively searched for prospective clinical trials written in the English language that assess the neurologic and/or cognitive manifestations of RSV. The “PRISMA” guidelines were used for the following review. Results: The key findings from the 11 included studies highlighted a range of neurologic complications, including central apnea, febrile seizures, encephalopathy, and more se-vere outcomes such as hypoxic or excitotoxic encephalopathy. While most studies focused on younger children under six years, adolescents and long-term cognitive outcomes were significantly underrepresented. One study reported delayed language development and potential memory impairments, highlighting the virus's impact on early cognitive processes. Conclusions: The findings from the review underscore the need for expanded research into RSV's neurologic and cognitive impacts, particularly in underexplored populations such as adolescents and the importance of early detection, targeted therapeutic inter-ventions, and preventive measures like vaccines to mitigate the burden of RSV on pe-diatric health. Future investigations should focus on longitudinal assessments to elucidate long-term effects and standardize methodologies for enhanced comparability.