A Review on COVID-19 and SES in the United States. Does Low SES Increase Risk of Psychiatric Complications From COVID-19?

A review on COVID-19 and SES in the United States. Does low SES increase risk of psychiatric complications from COVID-19? Sara Khan, MS-II, College of Allopathic Medicine Shivani Kaushal, MS-II, College of Allopathic Medicine Ron Israel, MD, Psychiatry, Aventura Hospital and Medical Center Sindhura Kompella, MD, Psychiatry, Aventura Hospital and Medical Center Clara Alvarez Villalba, MD, Program Director, Psychiatry, Aventura Hospital and Medical Center Objective. We will examine the relationship between coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and socioeconomic status (SES) and elucidate which populations are most vulnerable to severe outcomes. Background. This review was completed in preparation for a retrospective study on whether low SES COVID-19 patients have an increased rate of psychiatric admissions compared to higher SES counterparts. We will summarize current research on COVID-19 and SES and explore whether low SES COVID-19 patients face an increased risk of psychiatric complications. Methods. We searched the PubMed database using terms “COVID-19 and SES” and “COVID-19 and socioeconomic status”. Selected studies evaluated SES in relation to confirmed or probable COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Results. Studies indicate that areas with higher rates of poverty, lower levels of education, and higher proportions of racial/ethnic minorities have an increased rate of COVID-19 cases, admissions, and fatality. However, these studies do not evaluate whether low SES patients face an increased rate of psychiatric complications. Conclusion. Research indicates COVID-19 disproportionately plagues populations with low SES. However, there is a lack of data on whether they are at heightened risk for psychiatric sequelae. Despite the growing evidence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in COVID-19 patients, studies do not evaluate sociodemographic factors in relation to psychiatric complications. Given that low SES is a risk factor for mental illness and COVID-19 may result in psychiatric symptoms, perhaps low SES patients are more likely to experience psychiatric sequelae. To bridge gaps in the literature, future studies should assess sociodemographic factors in COVID-19 patients with psychiatric complications

Brain microglia in psychiatric disorders

Summary The role of immune activation in psychiatric disorders has attracted considerable attention over the past two decades, contributing to the rise of a new era for psychiatry. Microglia, the macrophages of the brain, are progressively becoming the main focus of the research in this field. In this Review, we assess the literature on microglia activation across different psychiatric disorders, including post-mortem and in-vivo studies in humans and experimental studies in animals. Although microglia activation has been noted in all types of psychiatric disorder, no association was seen with specific diagnostic categories. Furthermore, the findings from these studies highlight that not all psychiatric patients have microglial activation. Therefore, the cause of the neuroinflammation in these cohorts and its implications are unclear. We discuss psychosocial stress as one of the main factors determining microglial activation in patients with psychiatric disorders, and explore the relevance of these findings for future treatment strategies