Depression and brain fog as long-Covid mental health consequences

Difficult, complex and partially successful treatment of a 72-year-old patient—A case report

Bibliographic Data

ID15516144
AuthorsMāris Taube (0000-0002-1144-8586, Riga Stradiņš University, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume14
Pages1153512-1153512
Publication date2023-03-24
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1664-0640 • E-ISSN: 1664-0640
PublisherFrontiers Media (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1153512
PMID37032935
OpenAlexW4360868593
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited14

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection can result in long-term health consequences i.e., long COVID. The clinical manifestations of long COVID include depression, anxiety, brain fog with cognitive dysfunction, memory issues, and fatigue. These delayed effects of COVID-19 occur in up to 30% of people who have had an acute case of COVID-19. In this case report, a 72-year-old, fully vaccinated patient without pre-existing somatic or mental illnesses, or other relevant risk factors was diagnosed with long COVID. Nine months following an acute COVID-19 infection, the patient's depressive symptoms improved, but memory and concentration difficulties persisted, and the patient remains unable to resume work. These long-term symptoms are possibly linked to micro-hemorrhages detected during examinations of the patient's brain following COVID-19 infection. Patient treatment was complex, and positive results were attained via antidepressants and non-drug therapies e.g., art, music, drama, dance and movement therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and psychotherapy

Anxiety · Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19 · Depression (economics · Disease · Mental health · Psychiatry · Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders · Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 · Medicine · Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration Mechanisms · Internal Medicine

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