COVID-19-Associated Schizophrenia-Like Psychosis

Abstract

Background: COVID-19-associated psychoses are psychotic disorders that have developed during a new coronavirus infection. Criteria of these psychoses are the manifestation of psychosis simultaneously with infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the presence of documented COVID-19 disease. Information about these diseases appears as brief reports of mental services or with rare clusters. The need to study COVID-19-associated psychoses is due to the relatively high risk of their development, reaching 2.8%. The aim of study was to analyse the identified cases of COVID-19-associated psychosis in comparison with the results presented in the scientific literature. Patients and methods: 50 cases of COVID-19-associated psychosis were analyzed using a clinical method, taking into account the results of physical examination from April 2020 to September 2021. Results: 27 women and 23 men aged 20 to 57 were examined. Common symptoms were revealed: simultaneously or immediately after infection and identification of the virus against the background of growing anxiety and dissomnia, delusional ideas were formed, which quickly turned into fantastic delusion with disturbing agitation and hallucinations and subsequent marked disorganization of behavior with possible confusion of consciousness at the peak of psychosis. Perceptual deceptions were the most common, auditory hallucinations were the most prevalent, and catatonia was relatively common. The cupping therapy led to reduction of psychotic symptoms, and returned patients to a pre-morbid level of functioning. In most cases, there was a critical resolution of the attack, which probably indicates a favorable outcome of the disorder. Such dynamics is consistent with scientific literature data. Conclusion: the question of the primary or secondary nature of COVID-19-associated psychoses remains unresolved. It is necessary to continue the study of COVID-19-associated psychosis with the identification of risk factors for the development of psychosis, manifestation features, psychopathological picture, outcome options to determine the optimal rehabilitation program.