Title:Brief Psychotic Disorder during COVID-19 Infection: Marked Stressor or Neuropsychiatric Symptoms?
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Jalal Doufik, Said Boujraf, Mina Ouhamou, Hicham Laaraj, Khalid Mouhadi and Ismail Rammouz*
Affiliation:
- Department of Psychiatry, Health Sciences Research Laboratory, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, 80000,Morocco
Keywords:
Brief psychotic disorder, acute psychosis, COVID-19, pandemic, neuropsychiatric symptoms, immune-mediated.
Abstract: Background: COVID-19 virus outbreak appeared in December 2019
and was announced as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) in
March 2020. Recent cases of reactive psychosis in the context of the COVID-19
pandemic have been reported. However, there has been observed reduced interest
in cases of acute psychosis affecting patients with COVID-19.
Here, we present a clinical case of a female patient who showed a brief psychotic
disorder during symptomatic infection with COVID-19.
Methods: We discuss the differential diagnosis of brief psychotic disorder with
marked stressor and neuropsychiatric symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Although
the stress factor appeared to be linked to the acute psychosis onset in our
COVID-19 positive patient, the diagnosis of a psychotic disorder due to the viral
coronavirus infection is worthy of being reported and discussed.
Results: The stress factor appears to be linked to the onset of acute psychosis in
this COVID-19 positive patient; the diagnosis of a psychotic disorder due to the
viral coronavirus infection is worth to be mentioned. Thus, we suggest that a new
psychosis case associated with COVID-19 infection due to potential immune-mediated
neuropathogenesis would justify further investigation.
Conclusion: Through this case report, we highlight the need for vigilant monitoring
of neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with COVID-19 infection.
