COVID, genetic ancestry, and Alzheimer's risk
Clinical Core
This project looks at whether having had COVID-19 and your genetic ancestry change the chances of memory problems and Alzheimer's in older adults.
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-11180236 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be invited to join a group of 4,300 older adults at sites in Argentina, Nigeria, Texas, New York, and Washington to see how past COVID-19 and genetic ancestry relate to memory and dementia. At enrollment and again at 18 and 36 months, you'll have medical interviews about COVID history, standardized thinking tests (including a tablet-based, language-independent test), neurological exams, and informant interviews. Blood samples will be taken for COVID antibody testing, DNA extraction, and banking for future studies, and participants will be screened for MRI and PET imaging with harmonized procedures across sites. Imaging and clinical results will be combined to look for patterns that link infection, ancestry, and Alzheimer's-related changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults willing to provide medical history, blood samples, and take cognitive tests, with or without a history of COVID-19, who live near one of the study sites.
Not a fit: Younger people, those unable to travel to the listed sites, or anyone unwilling to provide blood samples or undergo cognitive testing or imaging would likely not be eligible or benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify who is at higher risk for dementia after COVID and inform better monitoring or prevention steps.
How similar studies have performed: Some studies have reported links between COVID-19 and later cognitive problems, but combining multi-country ancestry genomics with harmonized imaging and long-term follow-up is a newer approach with limited prior examples.
Where this research is happening
San Antonio, United States
- University of Texas Hlth Science Center — San Antonio, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: De Erausquin, Gabriel Alejandro — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: De Erausquin, Gabriel Alejandro
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.