Conference paper

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2023.622

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

Hans Rittmannsberger orcid.org/0000-0002-6567-4677 ; Department of Psychiatry, Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen Hospital, Steyr, Austria
Martin Barth ; Department of Psychiatry, Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen Hospital, Steyr, Austria
Peter Malik ; Department of Psychiatry, Pyhrn-Eisenwurzen Hospital, Steyr, Austria
Kurosch Zorn-Yazdi ; Department of Psychiatry – Specialization Addiction Medicine, Kepler University Hospital, Linz, Austria ; Faculty of Medicine, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria

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.

Keywords

SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; depressive disorders; cognitive disorders; psychosis; neuroinflammation

Hrčak ID:

311496

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/311496

Publication date:

9.11.2023.

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