This study seeks to rigorously examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic — and infection specifically — on brain and behavioral function in individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, major depressive disorder). 

The study leverages existing, longstanding projects focused on understanding the causes and trajectories of individuals with SMI in the Paisa population of Colombia.  Participants who were originally engaged and assessed pre-pandemic for these projects are being reengaged and reassessed. The specific aims of the study are to:

1. Measure outcomes of the pandemic as well as potential predictors of these outcomes (e.g. symptom severity, anhedonia, pandemic experiences) in individuals with preexisting SMI and controls. 
2. Conduct analyses to identify the relationships between specific outcomes and predictors evaluated by researchers.
3. a) Leverage a biobank to evaluate these relationships in a larger control sample, b) identify modifiers of these relationships and c) develop models to predict pandemic-related suicide attempts and changes in healthcare utilization in individuals with SMI.