COX4I1 and infection: In parallel, pronounced suppression of mitochondrial function at 6 dpi, pointing to energy exhaustion and transcriptional-translational discordance, as supported by digital PCR and a substantial reduction in COXIV protein levels.<h4>Discussion</h4>These findings provide a time-resolved molecular landscape of SARS-CoV-2-induced neuroinflammation and metabolic stress, highlighting CNS vulnerability during severe infection and suggesting pathways potentially relevant to COVID-19-associated sequelae.