It was found early on that population with respiratory problems is at greater risk but risk factors include pre-existing diagnoses such as dementia, subarachnoid hemorrhage and epilepsy.  Increased risk is found when the acute care uses sedation, ventilation and delirium. 


Who is likely to suffer from neurocognitive symptoms

Patients with MS are specifically vulnerable to the neuropsychiatric impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 70% of multiple sclerosis patients suffer from cognitive dysfunction.  This affects information processing and impacts episodic memory. Depression and anxiety result in a lower quality of life, increased fatigue and disability scores, and a more aggressive MS course.  Studies show that depression impacts cognition and anxiety worsens the patient's verbal learning.

Neuropsychiatric and cognitive effects of COVID-19 on multiple sclerosis patients

COVID-19 is directly relevant to the cognitive health of the aging brain in a number of ways, including the effects of the disease, treatments, and current society. cause brain effects such as encephalopathy, similar to the 2002 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which showed seizures and brain tissue injury. COVID-19 causes respiratory failure, which is linked to increased risk of dementia due to a lack of oxygen to the brain.  Ventilators and sedation causes distress to cognition and causes delirium.  Long-term impaired memory and thinking are observed long after discharge as a result of post-traumatic stress.

A Tsunami of Dementia Could Be on the Way

Most researchers believe the neurological effect of the virus are an indirect result of either oxygen starvation to the brain (the “happy hypoxia” exhibited by many patients), or the byproduct of the body’s inflammatory response (the famed “cytokine storm”).  A pateints MRI brain scan showed signs of viral meningitis (inflammation of the brain), and a lumbar puncture detected Sars-CoV-2 in his cerebrospinal fluid.  Another patient had viral particals detected in the  endothelial cells lining the blood vessels of the brain itself. In fact, some scientists now suspect that the virus causes respiratory failure and death not through damage to the lungs but through damage to the brainstem.

How COVID-19 can damage the brain

cognition isn't just about thinking but also about brain function.  Many patients have experienced loss of smell, delirium and an increased risk of stroke.  Many experience long lasting effects of the brain.  Some topics to focus on would be as follows:
-  The immune system and the brain
-  How does inflammation exert long-lasting effects on memory?
-  Does COVID-19 increase risk for cognitive decline?

How COVID-19 might increase risk of memory loss and cognitive decline

COVID-19 patients have reported mental fatigue and loss of concentration.  Severe cognitive impairment is reported by people with secondary illnesses.  Encephalopathy (damage to brain) is observed after extubation.  This could be because of sedation or mechanical ventilation.  Damage to the brain can occur from bacteria during ventilation. 
 



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- Cognitive Impacts
- Creating New Measurements
- Long-term prognosis and psychological impacts
- Mental Health focuses
- Psychosocial impact 
- Strategies to combat the psychological impact of COVID-19
- Substance use issues
- Relationship conflict and sexual behavior

Focuses of the Psychological effects of COVID-19 pandemic

Waterman, K. (2020, May 6). COVID-19 Impact on the Brain and Psyche. Retrieved July 22, 2020, from https://www.nm.org/about-us/northwestern-medicine-newsroom/nm-news-blog/covid-19-impact-on-brain-and-psyche

COVID-19 Impact on the Brain and Psyche

Due to the large life and routine changes caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic,  substance use issues are arising and increasingly relevant public health problems that needs to be addressed.

Substance Use Issues Associated with the COVID-19 Pandemic

Cognitive impacts of COVID-19

Many reports show that most patients can return to their roles and recover fully but some survivors will have lasting disability.  Sedation affects recall which is why those patients won't necessarily have a long lasting trauma but patients who are conscious may experience anxiety especially when they are physically disabled or dependent due to the virus.  Risk of depression increases when the patients are separated from their families for a prolonged period of time.  Loss of independence is experience and many have to go through outpatient psychotherapy.

Long-term prognosis and psychological impacts

The impact the pandemic has on the psychological state of the people is something many psychologists are interested to investigate, and as such, new measurements specific to the pandemic is needed

Creating New Measurements for Psychology during COVID-19 Pandemic

- Children

- Domestic caregivers

- Old age

- Marginalized community

- General public

- People who have or had COVID-19

- People with pre-existing mental health disorders

- Health-care workers

Psychological Effects of COVID-19 on different sections of society

- Mental Disorders
- Mental Health and psychological distress
- Mental Health Care
- Mental Health Consequences and physical distancing
- Mental Health Risk Factors
- Students mental health

Mental health focuses (COVID-19)

- Accurate dissemination of health and related information to the public
- Addition of psychologists and psychiatrists to the COVID-19 task force
- Have HCPs take a bigger role in mental health care of patients
- Identification of high-risk groups (psychologically)
- Improved screening of psychiatric morbidities
- Integration of hospital and community resources
- Psycho-education (preventative)
- Psychological interventions and psychosocial support
- Psychological support for frontline workers



Strategies to Combat Psychological Impact of COVID-19

- COVID-19 pandemic causes: disruptions of daily routines, anxiety of the pandemic, lack of physical activity, absence of outside social outlets, lack of access to unperson therapy, and reduced physical contact (e.g. hugging..)
- All may contribute to romantic relationship conflict 
- Previous study showed married couple experienced greater negative impact on mental well-being than unmarried couple during the pandemic 
- Psychological stress impact sexual desire and sexual function; sexual desire and orgasm are known to be supported by a lower-stress environment 
- Life-threatening event and Intense financial stress and economic hardship may lead to relationship conflict


Romantic Relationship Conflict Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Background stress and Changes in Intimate and Sexual Behaviors 


- Psychosocial impact on general public
- Psychosocial impact on healthcare workers
- Psychosocial burden of quarantine and isolation

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