Pathophysiology of Psychiatric Symptoms in COVID-19 and Biomarkers (IL-6, Platelets, Ferritin, Lymphopenia and Urea)

Abstract

Most of the studies on the COVID-19 pandemic produced by the SARS-CoV-2 reported neuropsychiatric symptoms only as part of the manifestations of the disease in its terminal phase. However, there are neuropsychiatric symptoms since the beginning of the disease. Several investigations have indicated a direct relationship between chronic diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), tuberculosis, SARS, MERS, Ebola and SARS 2003 with mental disorders such as depression. Neuropsychiatric disorders can occur due to different mechanisms, such as cerebral hypoxia, cytokine storm due to exaggerated immune response and encephalitis due to direct brain infection. Nervous system involvement leads to poor prognosis of COVID- 19.