How COVID-19 and genetic differences may affect memory and Alzheimer's risk across diverse populations
Official title: Interactions of SARS-CoV-2 infection and genetic variation on the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease in Ancestral and Admixed Populations
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Science Center · NIH-11389642 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will find out whether having COVID-19 together with certain genetic differences raises the chance of memory loss and Alzheimer's disease in older adults from varied ancestral backgrounds.
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 start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $806,739 |
| NIH project number | 3U19AG076581-03S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389642 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are older adults—especially those 65 and over—from diverse ancestral backgrounds (including Hispanic/Latino, African, and Amerindian ancestry) who have had COVID-19 and can attend study visits.
✕Less likely to help
People who never had COVID-19, are much younger than the study's target age range, or cannot complete blood draws, scans, or follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
You would join older adults in sites across the U.S., Nigeria, and Argentina who are followed after COVID-19 infection. Participants will have neurological and memory tests, blood draws for biomarkers and DNA, and brain imaging using the same procedures at enrollment, about 18 months, and about 36 months later. The team will combine whole-genome data with clinical and biomarker results to look for patterns of cognitive change tied to infection and genetic risk. The work focuses on underrepresented and ancestral groups to understand whether risks differ across populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk for post-COVID cognitive decline so they can get earlier monitoring or preventive care.
How similar studies have gone: Some studies have reported links between COVID-19 and later cognitive problems, but combining whole-genome sequencing with harmonized multi-site follow-up across diverse ancestral groups is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How COVID-19 infection and genes may influence memory and dementia risk
This study looks at how getting COVID-19 and a person’s genes together affect the chance of developing memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
-
How COVID-19 and genetics influence memory and dementia risk in older adults
This project studies how getting COVID-19 interacts with people’s genetic makeup to affect the likelihood of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease in older adults from diverse backgrounds.
-
How COVID-19 and genes may affect memory and Alzheimer's risk in diverse communities
This project looks at whether COVID-19 infection together with genetic differences raises the chance of memory loss and Alzheimer's disease in older adults from diverse ancestries.
-
How COVID-19 and genetics may affect memory and Alzheimer’s risk in diverse older adults
The team will compare memory tests, brain scans, blood markers, and genes in older adults with and without COVID-19 to learn how infection and genetic differences relate to later memory loss and Alzheimer's risk.
-
How COVID-19 and genetics affect cognitive decline and Alzheimer's risk in older adults
This study is looking at how getting COVID-19 and our genes might affect brain health and the risk of memory problems or Alzheimer's in older adults, especially those from diverse backgrounds, and it involves tests to track changes over time.
-
Alzheimer’s-related dementia after COVID-19: how SARS-CoV-2 affects the brain and potential drug repurposing
This research looks at how COVID-19 may contribute to dementia by studying brain inflammation, blood vessel injury, and virus-host interactions, with the goal of finding existing drugs that could help.
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.