Psychosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review of case reports and case series (2022)
Based on the results of our study, higher age can be potentially a risk factor for the development of psychosis. The psychosis resolved in most of the cases suggesting a favorable prognosis. The majority of patients responded to a low-to-moderate dose of antipsychotics with a quick recovery. However, the residual depression, anxiety, or psychosis in some patients highlights the need for vigilant monitoring and follow-up.
Several human coronaviruses (HCoVs) have been associated with psychotic disorders and increasing reports of the neuropsychiatric manifestations of COVID-19 suggest it has neuroinvasive properties similar to those of other HCoVs. These properties, in conjunction with its ability to generate a massive inflammatory response, suggest that COVID-19 may also contribute to future psychopathology.
The sheer prevalence of COVID-19 portends that if even a small portion of those affected develop later psychotic disorders, the psychiatric burden could be enormous. The elements linking prior respiratory viral pandemics to psychosis – neuroinvasion (Fatemi, 2009), inflammation, childhood infection, and maternal infection – are all represented in COVID-19.”
