Can Lyme cause mental illness?

A broad range of psychiatric reactions have been associated with Lyme disease including paranoia, dementia, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, panic attacks, major depression, anorexia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.A broad range of psychiatric reactions have been associated with Lyme disease including paranoia, dementia, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, panic attacks, major depression, anorexia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Can Lyme disease affect mental health?

The investigators found that people with Lyme disease had a greater risk of mental problems and suicide attempts. They also had a 42% higher incidence of depression and bipolar disorder, and a 75% higher rate of death by suicide, compared with people without Lyme disease.

Can Lyme disease affect personality?

While there are physical symptoms of the disease that can include severe headaches, severe joint pain and even numbness in the hands or feet, many experts believe Lyme disease can rewire the human brain and affect personality.

Can Lyme disease cause altered mental status?

Early disseminated Lyme disease can have a myriad of central nervous system manifestations. These run the gamut from meningitis to radiculopathy and cranial neuropathy. Here we present a case that manifested with only acute mental status change in the setting of central nervous system involvement with Lyme disease.

Can Lyme disease mimic schizophrenia?

Lyme disease has been reported to be associated with various psychiatric presentations. Borreliaburgdorferi (Bb) can present with symptoms similar to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

When does Lyme disease affect the brain?

Lyme disease can affect the lining of the brain, a disorder known as meningitis. Other than causing fever and bad headaches, this form of meningitis is remarkably benign; nobody has ever died of it, and it has rarely — if ever — caused significant damage to any patient's brain.

Can Lyme cause anger?

Acute episodes of rage, sometimes referred to as “Lyme rage,” were reported and were witnessed on multiple occasions. The anger during these episodes had a very abrupt onset and was extremely intense and often with minimal cognitive control. Patients described horrific intrusive symptoms.

What is Lyme psychosis?

Case studies suggest that Lyme Disease can be associated with symptoms common to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, including paranoia, delusions, olfactory, auditory and visual hallucinations, catatonia, and mania.

What does Lyme do to your brain?

Lyme disease can affect the lining of the brain, a disorder known as meningitis. Other than causing fever and bad headaches, this form of meningitis is remarkably benign; nobody has ever died of it, and it has rarely — if ever — caused significant damage to any patient's brain.

What are neurological symptoms of Lyme disease?

What are the symptoms? Neurological complications most often occur in early disseminated Lyme disease, with numbness, pain, weakness, facial palsy/droop (paralysis of the facial muscles), visual disturbances, and meningitis symptoms such as fever, stiff neck, and severe headache.