Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Conditions in Children and Adolescents following SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Series

Neuropsychiatric symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection have been described in a substantial proportion of patients, acute, subacute, and chronic. Understanding of the neurological and neuropsychiatric sequelae of this virus is an emerging field of study with rapidly evolving descriptions of its impact on the central and peripheral nervous system.

Here, we report a series of 8 pediatric patients presenting with acute onset neuropsychiatric symptoms following SARS-CoV-2 infection who received comprehensive medical and psychiatric evaluation and treatment in our research-based Neuroimmune Psychiatric Disorders Program. We provide a review of the research available to date regarding potential mechanisms underlying neuroinflammatory consequences of this endemic infection. Opportunities for further investigations of mechanisms, evaluations and impactful treatments following SARS-CoV-2 infection are described.

The pediatric cases presented share acute onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, tics, neurobehavioral and physiological symptoms, with significant response to treatments targeting inflammation in combination with psychiatric and psychological interventions. Ongoing study and identification of this phenomenon of abrupt neuropsychiatric changes following SARS-CoV-2 infection may lead to more effective treatments with potential application to broader populations.