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Prenatal Exposure to SARS-Cov-2 and Schizophrenia Development: What to Expect?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

F. Tavares ,
M. Viseu ,
M. Barbosa Pinto  and
C. Solana
F. Tavares*
Affiliation:
University Hospital Center of Algarve, Portugal, Department Of Psychiatry And Mental Health – Faro, Faro, Portugal
M. Viseu
Affiliation:
University Hospital Center of Algarve, Portugal, Department Of Psychiatry And Mental Health – Faro, Faro, Portugal
M. Barbosa Pinto
Affiliation:
University Hospital Center of Algarve, Portugal, Department Of Psychiatry And Mental Health - Faro, Faro, Portugal
C. Solana
Affiliation:
University Hospital Center of Algarve, Portugal, Department Of Psychiatry And Mental Health – Faro, Faro, Portugal
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Schizophrenia is a complex and multifactorial psychiatric condition characterized by thought, speech, perception and behaviour disorders, and social and occupational impairment. It has been related that viral prenatal infection may contribute to schizophrenia development. As such, there are some hypotheses regarding SARS-Cov-2 prenatal infection and its potential relation with “future” offspring schizophrenia.

Objectives

Literature review of schizophrenia development and relation with viral infections, and data research of COVID-19 neurotropic effects.

Methods

Non-systematic review through literature using databases as Pubmed and UpToDate. Keywords used: schizophrenia, prenatal, viral infection, COVID-19, SARS-Cov-2.

Results

Several studies had shown a relationship between prenatal viral infections, such as Influenza, and development of schizophrenia in the offspring. It relates with viral neurotropism mechanisms and inflammatory processes in the fetal neurology system. Regarding SARS-Cov-2, it is early to assume a relation between prenatal COVID-19 and offspring schizophrenia development. However, literature describes psychiatric manifestations post COVID, such as psychotic and manic episodes. As such, a SARS-Cov-2 neurotropic effect is demonstrated.

Conclusions

Schizophrenia has a multifactorial etiology. Since prenatal viral infections may interfere and contribute to schizophrenia development, it is logical to assume prenatal SARS-Cov-2 infection may also contribute. It may be relevant to investigate whether these offspring will manifest schizophrenia symptoms.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

PrenatalViral infectionschizophréniaCovid-19
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S524 - S525
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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