Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach
IntroductionNumerous studies have reported an increased incidence of anxiety in individuals affected by COVID-19; however, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood.MethodsIn this study, we employed the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to assess anxie...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1643355/full |
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| author | Wenjie Huang Biao Hu Chengyu Gu Hao Wu Yize Huang Dexiang Yang |
| author_facet | Wenjie Huang Biao Hu Chengyu Gu Hao Wu Yize Huang Dexiang Yang |
| author_sort | Wenjie Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionNumerous studies have reported an increased incidence of anxiety in individuals affected by COVID-19; however, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood.MethodsIn this study, we employed the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to assess anxiety levels in 36 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. In parallel, we conducted a comprehensive literature-based data mining analysis to reconstruct the functional and molecular pathways linking COVID-19 and anxiety. Additionally, we performed a meta-analysis using eight independent COVID-19 case–control gene expression datasets to examine expression alterations in the literature-derived pathways.ResultsOur findings revealed that even among asymptomatic individuals, approximately 25% exhibited mild anxiety symptoms, which negatively correlated with age. The reconstructed pathways suggested that COVID-19 may contribute to cognitive decline through multisystem dysfunction and structural or functional brain abnormalities—hallmarks of anxiety disorders. The meta-analysis confirmed increased expression of four anxiety-related molecular mediators in response to COVID-19 infection: CALCA, TNF, PLAT, and PPARG, with the latter three associated with neurocognitive decline.ConclusionThese results provide molecular-level evidence for a bidirectional association between COVID-19 and anxiety, potentially mediated by dysregulated inflammatory cytokines and other secreted proteins. Furthermore, impaired cognitive function may serve as a critical link connecting these two conditions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-24703f9f5ea34e58bea9e53377abec6c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-24703f9f5ea34e58bea9e53377abec6c2025-08-20T03:51:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402025-07-011610.3389/fpsyt.2025.16433551643355Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approachWenjie Huang0Biao Hu1Chengyu Gu2Hao Wu3Yize Huang4Dexiang Yang5Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongling Hospital Affiliated to Bengbu Medical University, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongling Hospital Affiliated to Bengbu Medical University, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Psychiatry, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongling Hospital Affiliated to Bengbu Medical University, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Tongling People’s Hospital Affiliated to Bengbu Medical University, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaDepartment of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongling Hospital Affiliated to Bengbu Medical University, Tongling, Anhui, ChinaIntroductionNumerous studies have reported an increased incidence of anxiety in individuals affected by COVID-19; however, the specific molecular mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood.MethodsIn this study, we employed the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) to assess anxiety levels in 36 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. In parallel, we conducted a comprehensive literature-based data mining analysis to reconstruct the functional and molecular pathways linking COVID-19 and anxiety. Additionally, we performed a meta-analysis using eight independent COVID-19 case–control gene expression datasets to examine expression alterations in the literature-derived pathways.ResultsOur findings revealed that even among asymptomatic individuals, approximately 25% exhibited mild anxiety symptoms, which negatively correlated with age. The reconstructed pathways suggested that COVID-19 may contribute to cognitive decline through multisystem dysfunction and structural or functional brain abnormalities—hallmarks of anxiety disorders. The meta-analysis confirmed increased expression of four anxiety-related molecular mediators in response to COVID-19 infection: CALCA, TNF, PLAT, and PPARG, with the latter three associated with neurocognitive decline.ConclusionThese results provide molecular-level evidence for a bidirectional association between COVID-19 and anxiety, potentially mediated by dysregulated inflammatory cytokines and other secreted proteins. Furthermore, impaired cognitive function may serve as a critical link connecting these two conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1643355/fullCOVID-19anxietysignal pathwaygene expressionSAS |
| spellingShingle | Wenjie Huang Biao Hu Chengyu Gu Hao Wu Yize Huang Dexiang Yang Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach Frontiers in Psychiatry COVID-19 anxiety signal pathway gene expression SAS |
| title | Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach |
| title_full | Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach |
| title_fullStr | Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach |
| title_short | Molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and COVID-19: a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach |
| title_sort | molecular insights into the bidirectional link between anxiety and covid 19 a combined clinical and bioinformatics approach |
| topic | COVID-19 anxiety signal pathway gene expression SAS |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1643355/full |
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