Psychotic depression in older adults following the sudden loss of a spouse during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case series

Background. Little is known about the relationship between sudden loss, social isolation, and onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) with psychotic features. We report two cases of MDD with psychotic features that developed in older women after the sudden loss of a spouse in the setting of social isolation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Case reports. Both women were brought to stay with family after their symptoms were discovered. Both experienced remission of symptoms on the combination of an antidepressant and a relatively low dose of risperidone (1.5-2 mg daily). Neuropsychological assessments were typical of normal ageing. Conclusions. These cases suggest that unexpected loss and social isolation may precipitate psychotic depression, and providers may want to recommend social engagement for older adults experiencing bereavement. Copyright © by Societa Italiana di Gerontologia e Geriatria (SIGG).

Tumefactive acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after recent COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report

Objective: To report a case of a patient with recent mild to moderate COVID-19 infection who developed tumefactive acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Background: Not applicable Design/Methods: Patient data were obtained from medical records from the University of Wisconsin - Madison Hospitals in Madison, WI, USA. Results: We report a 59-year-old man who presented with ongoing cognitive changes and pneumonia. He was repeatedly COVID-19 positive with minimal symptoms for 4 weeks prior to admission. He had a past medical history notable for atrial fibrillation, biventricular pacemaker, end-stage renal disease secondary to idiopathic fibrillary glomerulonephritis, on hemodialysis awaiting transplantation. While admitted, he developed progressive right sided hemiparesis and persistent, progressive encephalopathy manifesting primarily with disorientation, agitation, and aggression. CSF was notable for cell count of 7, protein of 48, and glucose of 65. Anti-MOG antibody and AQP-4 antibody were negative. A series of CT/CTA head imaging with and without contrast showed progressive multifocal supratentorial areas of white matter hypoattenuation, partially ring enhancing on contrasted portion of study. To better delineate these lesions, MRI head with and without contrast was performed and demonstrated progressive multi-focal large ovoid T2 FLAIR hyperintensities, consistent with tumefactive demyelinating disease. Significant improvement in mental status and right sided hemiparesis symptoms was observed with initiation of corticosteroids. Conclusions: This case study provides neuroimaging evidence and clinical correlation to support that SARS-CoV-2 and resultant COVID-19 infection can lead to tumefactive acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. This complication has not been previously documented associated with recent COVID-19 infection.

The rise of the 'quarantine bar simulator': The uses and gratifications of social VR during the COVID-19 pandemic

On January 9th, 2020 a new and mysterious disease emerged out of Wuhan, China. This virus, SARS-CoV-2 (COVID), would sweep across the planet sparking a wave of lockdowns. During this time the Social VR platform VRChat saw unprecedented user numbers that coincided with social distancing restrictions established in the United States. By using uses and gratifications 2.0 and computer assisted content analysis of 259 Steam reviews this study found five key uses of the VRChat platform that were supported by seven affordances provided by the social media and virtual reality aspects of the platform. © 2021 IEEE.