Risk factors and predictors of neurological presentations in infections: definitions and cognitive bias (review)

Objective: to analyze the clinical, psychological and methodological aspects of forming specialist's and the public's opinion about risk factors and predictors of nervous system's damage in infections. Publications in the electronic databases Google Scholar, PubMed, Springer and Elsevier for the period from 1933 to April 2022 using the keywords: «Infections», «Nervous system», «Risk factor», «Predictor», «COVID-19» were researched 39 literary sources were satisfying the search conditions. As a result of the analysis, it can be stated that there is currently no reliable information about the predictors of damage to the nervous system in COVID-19, and information about risk factors is contradictory. Previously accumulated experience (for example, during studying the infection caused by Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum) can be useful in the analysis of information about new infections, in particular, caused by SARS-CoV-2. It is important to use the terms correctly to avoid cognitive bias. The interaction of doctors and psychologists is especially important during the pandemic period.