New-Onset Catatonia and Delirium in a COVID-Positive Patient

  Out on PubMed, from international clinicians , is this case report:

New-Onset Catatonia and Delirium in a COVID-Positive Patient.

Kaur G, Khavarian Z, Basith SA, Faruki F, Mormando C.Cureus. 2021 Oct 1;13(10):e18422. doi: 10.7759/cureus.18422. eCollection 2021 Oct.PMID: 34729258

The abstract is copied below:

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a strain of coronavirus family, which was initially found in China in late 2019 and subsequently spread to rest of the world. COVID-19 has led to physical and mental health complications since its onset. In addition to the pandemic-associated social stresses, biological complications include direct viral encephalitis, autoimmune-mediated responses, medication side effects, hypoxic brain injury, and delirium, which can collectively cause varied presentations of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Neuropsychiatric complications have been reported in the acute stages of COVID-19 and post-infection period. Here we report our experience treating a patient who initially presented with a severe depressive episode and subsequently developed catatonia and delirium following hospital-acquired COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: catatonia; covid-19; delirium; ect; electroconvulsive; psychotropics.

The pdf is here.

This is an interesting case report that ascribes catatonia and delirium to COVID infection in a patient with bipolar disorder. Whether the causative association is correct, the patient responded well to a course of bilateral ECT. 
There are some useful mentions of interactions with antiviral drugs.
Catatonia scholars and students will want to read this report in full, ~ 8 minutes.

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