**7. Conclusion**

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the disease course in many psychiatric patients as mandatory social isolation and decreased frequency of therapeutic meetings promoted fear and uncertainty in this fragile population. The restrictive measures associated with the pandemic have often led to decreased medication adherence, increased depression, anxiety and substance use disorders, often contributing to unfavorable outcomes.

On a positive note, the SARS-CoV-2 virus may be a catalyst for a better understanding of the role of viruses in the pathogenesis of psychiatric illness. As SARS-CoV-2 (and probably other viruses) utilize the molecular machinery involved in severe psychiatric disorders, the clarification of these mechanisms may help with the development of better therapies. Indeed, the EP and antioxidant enzymes may become the new psychiatric paradigms, expanding the current dopamine and serotonin models to include viruses and microbes in psychopathology.
