EEG Correlates of Suicidal Intent in Patients with Depression With and Without COVID-19

Objectives. To seek EEG correlates of suicidal intent in young patients with depression with and without COVID-19. Materials and methods. We examined 46 female patients aged 16–25 years with depressive disorders who had previously had mild or asymptomatic coronavirus infection (the COVID group) and 40 patients with depression but not COVID-19 who were matched to patients in the COVID group in terms of gender, age, depressive disorder syndrome structure, and the initial severity of depression (the non-COVID group). The severity of suicidal intent was assessed in terms of the score on item 3 of the HDRS-17 scale. Multichannel background EEG recordings with analysis of spectral power in narrow frequency subranges were made in all patients before treatment started. Results. Mean scores on item 3 of the HDRS-17 scale in patients of the COVID group were slightly greater (at the level of a trend) than those in the non-COVID group (2.1 ± 1.5 and 1.8 ± 1.6 points, respectively) and showed a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) with spectral power in the θ2 (6–8 Hz) and δ (2–4 Hz) EEG subbands. In the non-COVID group, the measure of the severity of suicidal intent showed a significant positive correlation with spectral power in the α2 (9–11 Hz) EEG subrange. Conclusions. Suicidal intent was greater in patients with depression who have recovered from coronavirus infection and its severity is associated with EEG signs of a reduced functional state of the cerebral cortex.