Coronavirus Immunoreactivity in Individuals With a Recent Onset of Psychotic Symptoms

Abstract

Prenatal influenza exposure increases the risk for schizophrenia and brings to question how other respiratory viruses may contribute to neuropsychiatric disease etiopathology. Human coronaviruses cause respiratory infections that range in seriousness from common colds to severe acute respiratory syndrome. Like influenza, coronaviruses can be neurotropic. To test for associations between coronaviruses and serious mental disorders, we utilized a recently developed assay and measured immunoglobulin G (IgG) response against 4 human coronavirus strains (229E, HKU1, NL63, and OC43) in 106 patients with a recent onset of psychotic symptoms and 196 nonpsychiatric controls. We expressed results quantitatively as antibody levels and qualitatively as seroprevalence relative to a defined seropositivity cutoff value. Patient IgG levels were higher than controls for HKU1, NL63, and OC43, with HKU1 and NL63 both showing highly significant patient-to-control differences (HKU1, P ≤ .002; NL63, P ≤ .00001). All 4 coronaviruses were more seroprevalent in patients vs controls, with greatest intergroup differences observed for HKU1 (93% vs 77%, P ≤ .0001). HKU1 and NL63 associations with the patient group were further supported by multivariate analyses that controlled for age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and smoking status (HKU1, odds ratio [OR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.67, P ≤ .027; NL63, OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.25-4.66, P ≤ .008). Among patients, NL63 was associated with schizophrenia-spectrum (OR = 3.10, 95% CI = 1.27-7.58, P ≤ .013) but not mood disorders. HKU1 and NL63 coronavirus exposures may represent comorbid risk factors in neuropsychiatric disease. Future studies should explore links between the timing of coronavirus infections and subsequent development of schizophrenia and other disorders with psychotic symptoms.

Complement C1q formation of immune complexes with milk caseins and wheat glutens in schizophrenia

“…Identification and characterization of individuals into diagnostic groups was performed according to criteria defined by DSM-IV for schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder and schizoaffective disorder, as previously described (Dickerson et al, 2010b; Severance et al, 2010a; Severance et al, 2011a). In these previous studies, the recent onset schizophrenia group was part of a larger designation of recent onset psychosis, but in the present paper, only those with these DSM-IV schizophrenia-related diagnoses were included (Dickerson et al, 2010b; Severance et al, 2010a; Severance et al, 2011a). The two schizophrenia groups (recent onset and non-recent onset) were distinguished from each other by the inclusion criteria that the recent onset group have an onset of psychotic symptoms for the first time within the past 24 months.…”

“…We have reported strong associations between schizophrenia and a variety of infectious disease and food-derived antigens (Dickerson et al, 2010a; Dickerson et al, 2010b; Leweke et al, 2004; Niebuhr et al, 2008; Severance et al, 2012; Severance et al, 2010a; Severance et al, 2011a; Yolken and Torrey, 2008). If antigenic exposures play a part in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, we might expect that immune components involved in early stages of antigen clearance are also affected.…”

Human Coronaviruses and Other Respiratory Viruses: Underestimated Opportunistic Pathogens of the Central Nervous System?

“…To our knowledge, no reports on the presence of the three other coronaviruses that infect humans in the CNS have been published. However, neurological symptoms have been described in patients infected by all three viruses [276,277,285].…”

Ensuring mental health care during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in France: A narrative review

“…There has been a recent epidemiological alert concerning anosmia and ageusia without nasal congestion which could be linked to neurological damage (22). In fact, coronaviruses can be neurotropic and can enter the brain via the olfactory system (23). To date, there is no structured data available on the epidemiology, clinical presentation and prognosis of psychiatric patients with COVID-19.…”