Social isolation and post-COVID neuropsychological damage

ABSTRACT

Social isolation (SI) exerts a harmful effect on brain plasticity even in healthy animals and humans. We reported some new connections between aggressive behavior and SI, and new mechanisms of SI damaging effect on experimental rodents in previous studies. SARS-CoV-2 exhibits neurotropism through its affinity for the ACE2 receptor in endothelial cells found in the brain. The neurotropism in the disease caused by the new coronavirus accords with a wide spectrum of neurological, psychiatric and psychological symptoms. It had been reported that up to almost 43% of SARS survivors developed long-lasting psychiatric morbidity that persisted at 4 years follow up with main diagnoses in diminishing order of representation posttraumatic stress disorders, depression, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Full assessment of the long-term risk of neurological and psychological complications will be greatly needed once the coronavirus pandemic is over. Based on current data and the reported experience with SARS-CoV we hypothesize that the neurobehavioral sequelae of the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 will necessitate close interaction between emergency medicine and psychological support. The role of social support for the restoration of post-Covid neuropsychological damage is essential because the human being is not only a biological object but also a social subject who needs support from other humans.