Brain imaging to find signs of COVID-related thinking and memory problems
Imaging Predictors
This project uses brain scans to look for patterns linked to long-term thinking and memory problems in people who had COVID-19.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180246 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would have several types of brain scans (functional MRI, structural MRI, and in some cases PET) that compare people with and without lasting thinking problems after COVID-19. The team will look for changes in gray matter function, gray-matter shrinkage, and white-matter abnormalities using advanced imaging analyses and connectome methods. Some participants will also have blood-flow and metabolic imaging to cross-check findings across techniques. The work aims to determine whether post-COVID cognitive changes tend to recover, get worse, or show mixed patterns over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people (especially those over age 60) who previously had COVID-19 and now have lasting cognitive or memory problems or are being actively followed for cognitive decline.
Not a fit: People without prior COVID-19, much younger adults, or those whose thinking problems are clearly due to other causes may not benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors identify imaging markers that lead to earlier diagnosis and more tailored care for people with post-COVID cognitive decline.
How similar studies have performed: Early imaging work in post-COVID cognitive problems is limited but shows promising signs of brain changes, so this multi-modality approach is relatively new with encouraging preliminary data.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fox, Peter Thornton — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Fox, Peter Thornton
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.