Citation

Zito S, Mercurio S, Mercurio G, Pigoni A, Mandolini GM, Caletti E. Minerva Psichiatr. 2019; 60(2): 91-99.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Italian Society of Social Psychiatry, Publisher Edizioni Minerva Medica)

DOI

10.23736/S0391-1772.19.02012-0

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated the capability of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) to invade brain cells; this has been suspected to cause symptoms in patients independent of liver disease status. Awareness of the quality of life deterioration, during chronic hepatitis C infection and its therapy, has led researchers to investigate neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric impairment in order to identify which factors could be predictable of deficits. This paper also notes the deleterious effect of interferon/ribavirin therapy on such symptoms. Among the techniques used in the reviewed research papers are imaging studies, neuropsychological tests, neurological examination, electroencephalography (EEG). The reviewed research papers included studies on cohorts of patients and heathy control studies (or different subgroups of therapy or conditions). This review highlights the relationship between HCV neuroinvasion, neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric disorders, and quality of life in HCV patients. In addition, HCV therapy with IFN and ribavirin is considered a risk factor that may exacerbate the underlying psychiatric disorders and can compromise the patients' adherence to therapy. There is ample evidence that HCV neuroinvasion is responsible for neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive symptoms (regardless of liver disease state); these may be further worsened by IFN/RIB treatment. Nonetheless, the scarcity of studies and the methodological constraints pose a limitation to be overcome in further studies. © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA.

Language: en

Keywords

human; suicide; Review; quality of life; depression; social support; anxiety; social network; major depression; neuroimaging; mild cognitive impairment; fatigue; kynurenine; serotonin; cognitive defect; Human immunodeficiency virus infection; sleep disorder; nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; hepatitis C; irritability; computer assisted tomography; Quality of life; dialectical behavior therapy; neuropsychological test; electroencephalography; serotonin transporter; hepatic encephalopathy; Cognitive dysfunction; neurologic examination; brain damage; working memory; Hepacivirus; dopamine transporter; nitric oxide; microglia; diffusion tensor imaging; Hepatitis; tumor necrosis factor; cognitive behavioral therapy; nervous system inflammation; neuroapoptosis; single photon emission computed tomography-computed tomography