Mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: The importance of the vagus nerve for biopsychosocial resilience
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to widespread increases in mental health problems, including anxiety and de- pression. The development of these and other psychiatric disorders may be related to changes in immune, endocrine, autonomic, cognitive, and affective processes induced by a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Interestingly, many of these same changes can be triggered by psychosocial stressors such as social isolation and rejection, which have become increasingly common due to public policies aimed at reducing the spread of SARS-CoV-2.