Impaired sense of smell occurs in a fraction of patients with COVID-19 infection, but its effect on cerebral activity is unknown. Thus, this case report investigated the effect of COVID-19 infection on frontotemporal cortex activity during olfactory stimuli. In this preliminary study, patients who recovered from COVID-19 infection (n = 6) and healthy controls who never contracted COVID-19 (n = 6) were recruited. Relative changes in frontotemporal cortex oxy-hemoglobin during olfactory stimuli was acquired using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The area under curve (AUC) of oxy-hemoglobin for the time interval 5 s before and 15 s after olfactory stimuli was derived. In addition, olfactory function was assessed using the Sniffin’ Sticks 12-identification test (SIT-12). Patients had lower SIT-12 scores than healthy controls (p = 0.026), but there were no differences in oxy-hemoglobin AUC between healthy controls and patients (p > 0.05). This suggests that past COVID-19 infection may not affect frontotemporal cortex function, and these preliminary results need to be verified in larger samples.
This review examines the impact of COVID-19 on the substance-abuse landscape and climate with particular attention on Singapore’s. Substance-abuse has received the least attention during the COVID-19 outbreak and this pandemic has further sheared the problem’s visibility and the provision of care for this population of sufferers. The authors examine the current literature to look at the access and utility of street drugs due to border closure, the influence of the pandemic on prevailing drug behaviours as well as the effect of social distancing on drug-users. Two case studies are described. The paper serves to illuminate the ever-present problem of substance-abuse even during a viral pandemic and to remind the local government and healthcare system to continue efforts in caring for this group of patients.
Periodic psychosis in relation to the menstrual cycle phases has been reported but its pathogenesis not yet known. We report a case of a 28 year old female with schizoaffective disorder since 18 years old. She was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) 3 years later and was noted to have distinct psychotic episodes that coincided acutely with her premenstrual period. Peculiarly she exhibited delusions of pregnancy during her psychotic episodes. This was followed by near resolution with the end of menstruation. This case sheds light on this atypical presentation of psychosis in female patients as well as its potential aetiology.
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