SARS-CoV-2 infection and mental disorders

• Published in: Buletin de psihiatrie integrativa Vol. 88; no. 1; pp. 49 - 53
• Main Authors: Barbu, Roxana Mihaela, Pohaci-Antonesei, Luiza, Gavrilescu, Cristina-Maria, Pohaci-Antonesei, Cătălin, Butură, Diana Georgiana, Butunoi, Alexandra Cristina, Dumitrescu, Ana-Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Editura Sedcom Libris Iasi 20.03.2021; Sedcom Libris Publishing House Iasi
• Subjects: Health and medicine and law; Coronavirus; neurological impairment; mental disorders
• ISSN: 2393-2694; 1453-7257; 2393-2694
• DOI: 10.36219/BPI.2021.1.06

The occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 infection has led to a change in lifestyle and the reality in which we live. We performed a narrative analysis of studies that have investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mental health in infected patients and subsequently treated for this new infection. Coronavirus is not only a danger to physical health, but also to mental health. SARS-CoV-2 has affected and is likely to affect people in many countries, in many geographical areas. Thus, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic created fear, anxiety and depression among the population, but the most exposed were the people who already suffered from a mental disorder. The effects of anxiety and stress continue to affect a person's ability to look hopefully to the immediate and distant future. There has been shown to be a link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and mental disorders. The citokine storm is the basic connection between the two diseases, being involved in the immune response to coronaviruses, causing certain psychiatric symptoms, precipitating neuroinflammation and producing brain infiltration. Symptoms related to mood disorders, psychotic disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder may occur in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Patients who survived SARS-CoV-2 infection had a high prevalence of emerging psychiatric sequelae, with a pathological score for at least one disorder. Thus, in this category of patients, a higher incidence of cases with post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression and anxiety is expected. Conclusions: Given the alarming impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on mental health, the psychopathological assessment of SARS-CoV-2 survivors is needed, in order to proper diagnose and treate the emerging psychiatric disorders.