THE EFFECT OF THE SARS-COV-2 PANDEMIC ON THE INCIDENCE OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: AN OVERVIEW.

ABSTRACT

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic exerted an unprecedented threat to the population worldwide. This led to a sharp increase in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD, especially in the early phase of the pandemic. As far as data allowed a comparison with the pre-pandemic era, an increase by odds ratios of up to 3,5 was found. People affected by the virus showed an even greater amount of symptomatology as compared to the general population. Next to psychological stress, direct and indirect effects of the virus on the brain in these persons could be observed. Only on very few occasions, a direct invasion of the virus in the brain could be observed. Yet far more important seems to be the induction of a low-grade inflammation in the brain ("neuroinflammation"). This kind of processes have been observed earlier accompanying many psychiatric and neurologic diseases. In this way, especially cognitive symptoms might persist long after the acute infection has abated.