2024-01-05 17:52:00
A recent study, published in the journal medRxiv in December, suggests a link between Covid-19 infection and an increase of up to about 5 times in the risk of developing schizophrenia. The National COVID Cohort Collaborative survey in the United States evaluated data from more than 650,000 individuals. Among them, around 220,000 had moderate, severe or fatal Covid-19 infections, but without a previous history of psychiatric disorders.
Three weeks after infection, 2,573 people were diagnosed with schizophrenia, half of whom had contracted the virus. Those who had Covid-19 presented 4.6 times more likely to develop the psychotic condition compared to those who tested negative.
The risk persistedEven after three months of infection, people who contracted the virus were still 70% more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia. Inflammation in the brain caused by Covid-19, neurologists point out, can result in high levels of kynurenic acid, a substance associated with schizophrenia.
In 2021, studies pointed to an inverse relationship, considering schizophrenia as a risk factor for Covid-19. At the time, it was found that people with schizophrenia were almost three times more likely to die from COVID-19 compared to those without the disorder.
Throughout 2023, in turn, researchers advanced understanding of schizophrenia, shedding light on its impact on the brain.
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