Page 87 - JCBP-3-4

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Psychological COVID-19 gastrointestinal

gut-brain axis and broader involvement of the GI tract, infection. 27,30 These symptoms may be caused by chronic
which could lead to increased emotional symptoms, such infection or abnormal immune responses.
as despair and anxiety. These findings underscore the need It is crucial to remember that delirium and stress-
to explore the specific relationship between GI symptoms, related symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, and PTSD)
such as diarrhea, and mental health consequences. 23 have been associated with an approximately fourfold

The prevalence of emerging psychiatric sequelae among increased risk of developing neurocognitive impairments.
COVID-19 survivors is high, with many individuals This raises concerns about the potential direct effects of
exhibiting clinically significant symptoms of at least one psychiatric manifestations on cognitive health. Long-
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mental health disorder. It is expected that survivors will term COVID-19 symptoms seem to have an impact on
experience greater-than-average rates of PTSD, major social engagement, physical and cognitive functioning,
depressive disorder, and anxiety–all highly burdensome and health-related quality of life. For example, post-
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non-communicable conditions linked to years of living COVID-19 depression has been associated with a higher
with a disability. In addition, depression is associated with risk of experiencing chronic physical symptoms, such as
a notably high risk of both mortality by cause and overall pain and dyspnea. 27
mortality. 23 Prevention efforts, particularly in terms of rehabilitation
The risk factor profile for the various psychiatric programs, are essential to halt the progression of
manifestations associated with COVID-19 shows minor COVID-19-related psychiatric manifestations. These
variations across disorders. Factors linked to an increased programs can enhance the functioning and quality
risk of anxiety and depression include female gender, of life of affected individuals and reduce the risk of
greater illness severity, presence of medical comorbidities, developing neurocognitive impairments in addition to
having relatives or close contacts infected with COVID-19, the already severe psychiatric manifestations. To identify
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social stigma, decreased quality of life, and a history of people who suffer from depression, anxiety, or PTSD,
psychiatric illness. The rates of moderate-to-severe common screening tools should be used. Moreover,
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depression occurring 2 – 3 months after hospital discharge patients recovering from COVID-19 should undergo
range from 10% to 42% according to studies. 25,26 These neuropsychological testing. In COVID-19 patients, a
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patients had higher perceived stigma related to COVID-19, comprehensive assessment of psychological, cognitive,
were quarantined after hospitalization, and had a history of and behavioral variables is required. This aligns with the
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psychiatric manifestations. 23 conclusions of previous studies that discovered a strong
The long-lasting psychological effects of COVID-19 correlation between cognitive complaints and psychological
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are poorly understood in terms of their causes, prevalence, distress, and that demonstrated that the optimal indicator
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and risk factors. Although a growing body of research has of cognitive function and its improvement is depression.
explored psychological symptoms following COVID-19 Thus, additional research is essential to describe a more
infection, the results are typically from studies based on detailed picture of the long-term psychiatric functioning
surveys or self-reported data, which should be interpreted following COVID-19. To better manage post-COVID-19
with caution. Nonetheless, the existing data point to syndromes, close interdisciplinary collaboration between
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a serious issue and shed light on potential causes for the medical professionals and specialized post-COVID-19
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psychological effects of COVID-19. While the precise rehabilitation centers should be enhanced. Patients’
pathophysiological mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 across health-related quality of life may be enhanced through
various physiological systems remain unclear, insights interventions that reduce COVID-19-related self-stigma
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from other coronavirus subtypes offer a speculative and enhance mental health. Finally, probiotics may
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understanding of possible outcomes. Coronavirus be a safe adjunctive therapy for psychiatric sequelae
may induce psychopathological complications through in COVID-19 survivors, offering an alternative or
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immune responses or a direct viral invasion of the CNS. The complement to conventional psychotropic medications.
neuropathological consequences of COVID-19 are thought Probiotics have been shown to reduce inflammation and
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to arise from multiple mechanisms, including direct viral modulate the immune system. These may reduce the
infection, neuroinflammation, systemic inflammatory severity of infections in the GI tract and upper respiratory
responses, neurodegeneration, and microvascular tract by acting on the innate and adaptive immune systems.
thrombosis. Numerous studies have proposed that viral There are a number of limitations to take into account
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infections may result in long-lasting neuropsychiatric in this study. First, due to the cross-sectional design, causal
symptoms, including affective, behavioral, and cognitive relationships between GI symptoms and psychological
symptoms, that can endure for varying periods post- results cannot be established. Second, although the

Volume 3 Issue 4 (2025) 81 doi: 10.36922/JCBP025040007