Psychosis and covid

[Orangeblossom78]

After stroke, psychosis is second main condition linked to severe covid.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/psychosis-spike-linked-to-effect-of-coronavirus-dxlqv7k3q

Wow, covid really is the gift that keeps on giving.

Can’t read the article because of paywall, but would be interested in learning more about this. Delirium isn’t particularly unusual in ITU settings or elderly populations, but the last thing I can read is “higher than expected”. Away for a nosy.

This isn’t solely linked to Covid, there’s been data available for years showing an association between exposure to general respiratory viruses such as the flu and subsequent psychotic episodes. There was a rise in cases of schizophrenia after the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic as well as after SARS and swine flu.

It’s thought to possibly exert its effect through cytokines (signalling proteins which regulate biological functions, including innate and acquired immunity), produced by cells such as microglia. This is then linked to changes in brain activity.

Basically what it is saying is two things

Some patents with covid (so presumably the very ill ones) have psychosis which seems to be related to the brain inflammation directly form covid

Also increase in psychosis indirectly related - so people not with covid but due to the lockdown and increased stress. In particular increase in young people in Scotland presenting, 18 cases in Forth valley area

A girl I used to work with developed viral encephalitis after flu a few years ago. She was very unwell in hospital for a long time but like @ComtesseDeSpair said it can happen after many viral infections

I'm sorry after posting this I hope I have not worried people. I think this is in the most severe cases. Sepsis is also linked with delerium and that is more common in the severe cases.

But the most cases are not this severe of course.