Beyond skin deep: shedding light on the neuropsychiatric consequences of Monkeypox (Mpox)

This review is attempted in view of World Health Organization (WHO) warning on Monkeypox virus (Mpox) to summarize the available data regarding the potential effect on central nervous system (CNS), its complications, and diagnostic methods. We combed various international databases (including Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) for articles mentioning Mpox infection, orthopox infection, and the central nervous system that were published between the years 2000 and 2022. Further evidence was evaluated from relevant studies published in the literature. There is emerging evidence of central nervous system neurological involvement. In addition to encephalopathy, which is one of the most serious neurological complications of Mpox, the most common complications of Mpox infection are headache, weakness, myalgia, anorexia, and altered consciousness. Anxiety and depression have also been identified as the most common psychiatric symptoms in these patients.