Viruses and psychosis: From influenza epidemics to the COVID-19 pandemic

Schizophrenia is a complex disease of multifactorial etiology. Viral infections could play a role in people with genetic vulnerability, and studies suggest that infection in various stages of life, and especially during pregnancy, may be related to psychotic manifestations. Less evidence is available about the role of coronaviruses in psychosis, although there is evidence that these viruses invade the brain, and SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to cross the placenta, affecting the development of the fetus. Some coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV-2, can have acute and chronic effects on neuronal development and may be related to psychotic processes. The current pandemic may serve as an opportunity for further research about the viral hypothesis of the etiology of schizophrenia. Longitudinal prospective studies of affected populations could help provide new evidence of the effects of prenatal exposure to the virus.