Overview
The goal of this observational study focuses on understanding and addressing a subset of persistent neuropsychiatric symptoms occurring within 3 months after mild to moderate COVID-19 infection (COVID-DNP). COVID-DNP encompasses major depressive episodes (MDE) with or without additional neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Description
Participants will undergo two positron emission tomography (PET) scans, one [11C]DTBZ scan (for vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) and one [18F]SDM8 scan (for synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A)), as well as one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
The main question[s] it aims to answer are:
- The investigators will determine if VMAT2 binding potential (VMAT2 BPND) is reduced in ventral striatum and dorsal putamen in COVID-DNP.
- The investigators will determine if SV2A total distribution volume (SV2A VT) is reduced in ventral striatum and dorsal putamen in COVID-DNP
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- New onset MDE within 3 months after mild or moderate COVID-19, with MDE verified by the research version SCID for DSM 5. See "Positive COVID-19 diagnosis" listed after inclusion/exclusion criteria for a description of how this is determined.
- Age 18 to 75.
- Good general physical health with no active medical conditions based on self-report (except migraine or PASC).
Exclusion Criteria:
- Use of antidepressants in the previous month (6 weeks for fluoxetine).
- Use of stimulant medication affecting dopamine release in the previous month
- Use of antipsychotics in the previous month
- History of neurological disease (except migraine, and PASC) based on self-report
- Use of medications or herbal products or natural health products with central nervous system effects in past 2 weeks based on self-report
- Presence of cigarette smoking in the past two months, based on self-report
- Lifetime diagnosis of severe Substance or Alcohol Use Disorder, or diagnosis of mild to moderate Substance or Alcohol Use Disorder in the past two years, based on self-report and verified by the Research Version of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (SCID-5-RV)
- Use of recreational drugs, including marijuana, in the past two months, based on self-report and verified by the Research Version of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (SCID-5-RV)
- Positive urine drug or cotinine screen at any timepoint during the study
- History of psychotic symptoms secondary to schizophrenia, schizophreniform, bipolar disorder, or brief psychotic disorder prior to COVID-19, based on self-report and verified by the Research Version of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 (SCID-5-RV)
- Currently pregnant, based on self-report or positive pregnancy test at any timepoint during the study, in females (in our PET Centre females up to 65 years of age are given a urine pregnancy test prior to every PET scan)
- Breastfeeding (for females)
- Current disorders of coagulation, blood or ongoing use of anticoagulant medication, based on self-report
- Claustrophobia, based on self-report
- Weight over 400lbs and height over 7ft (requirements for fitting in the scanners and hospital gowns)
- Presence of metal implant, object or electrical devices that are contraindicated for MRI, based on self-report
- Severe allergic reaction to alcohol