Psychiatric adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines: A rapid review of published case reports

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Vaccinology

Background:

• The widespread use of COVID vaccines necessitates a thorough understanding of their safety profiles.
• Monitoring for potential adverse reactions, including psychiatric ones, is crucial for public health.
• Existing literature on COVID vaccine-related psychiatric events requires systematic review.

Observation:

• A review of electronic databases identified 11 reports detailing 14 cases of psychiatric adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination.
• The observed psychiatric reactions included altered mental states, psychosis, mania, depression, and functional neurological disorder.
• The affected individuals were typically young or middle-aged adults.

Findings:

• All reported cases involved either mRNA or vector-based COVID vaccines.
• Psychiatric symptoms emerged within 10 days of vaccination across all documented cases.
• This short interval suggests a potential high-risk period for psychiatric adverse events post-vaccination.

Implications:

• Healthcare providers should maintain heightened awareness of potential psychiatric side effects in patients receiving COVID vaccines.
• The 10-day post-vaccination window warrants particular clinical vigilance for psychiatric symptom onset.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms and incidence of these rare psychiatric reactions.