Depressed mood or anxiety exhibited in COVID-19 patients may possibly be a sign that the virus affects the central nervous system, according to an international study led by a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researcher.

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These two psychological symptoms were most closely associated with a loss of smell and taste rather than the more severe indicators of the novel coronavirus such as shortness of breath, cough or fever, according to the study. "If you had asked me why would I be depressed or anxious when I am COVID positive, I would say it is because my symptoms are severe and I have shortness of breath or I can't breathe or I have symptoms such as cough or high fever," said Ahmad Sedaghat, MD, PhD, an associate professor and director of rhinology, allergy and anterior skull base surgery, in the UC College of Medicine's Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. "None of these symptoms that portended morbidity or mortality was associated with how depressed or anxious these patients were," said Sedaghat, also a UC Health physician specializing in diseases of the nose and sinuses.

"The only element of COVID-19 that was associated with depressed mood and anxiety was the severity of patients' loss of smell and taste. This is an unexpected and shocking result," added Sedaghat. Sedaghat conducted a prospective, cross-sectional telephone questionnaire study that examined the characteristics and symptoms of 114 patients who were diagnosed with COVID-19 over a six-week period at Kantonsspital Aarau in Aarau, Switzerland.