Affiliation:
1. Department of Psychiatry, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital. Madrid, Spain
2. Endocrine and
Metabolic Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, University of Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela
Abstract
Abstract:
The emergence of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has significantly impacted
the world's population, disrupting healthcare systems around the globe and leading to human
and material losses. While different vaccines have been approved in record time, there continues
to be a high number of daily new cases, and patients face a wide range of presentations of
the disease, from asymptomatic to potentially fatal. Therefore, the search for therapeutic agents
that can aid in the management and control of the disease has become one of the main goals for
researchers and clinicians. As an inflammatory disease, targets for the treatment of COVID-19
have largely involved the immune system. Inflammation has also been associated with mental
health disorders, and studies have shown the potential involvement of inflammatory pathways
in the pathophysiology of depression. As a consequence, the hypothesis of using antidepressants
and other psychotropics for the treatment of COVID-19 has emerged. In this review, we
aim to summarize the molecular pathways that could be involved as well as the emergent evidence
that has been reported by studies performed since the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 in
2019. While it has been observed that there are potential therapeutic pathways for the use of
antidepressants in the treatment of COVID-19, additional studies are needed to evaluate the
feasibility, safety, and efficacy of psychotropics in this disease.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health