How COVID-19 and genetics influence memory and dementia risk in older adults
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-11401787 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
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 | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,973,798 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AG076581-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401787 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults (65 and above) from diverse ancestries who have had or may have been exposed to COVID-19 and are willing to participate in longitudinal brain health assessments.
✕Less likely to help
People who are younger than 21, not in the study populations (older adults with no COVID-19 exposure or non-diverse genetic backgrounds) may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will follow large groups of older adults from multi-ancestry populations, including participants in the US and in Africa and South America, to see how a COVID-19 infection and genetic differences together influence brain health over time. The study uses blood tests, brain imaging, cognitive tests, and biomarker analyses at three time points: soon after infection, and then about 18 and 36 months later. Participants will come from newly recruited cohorts in Texas, New York, Washington State, Ibadan, and Jujuy, with harmonized protocols to ensure comparable data. This work builds on extensive experience with international cohorts and includes a pre-existing Amerindian cohort in the Andes to enrich understanding of diverse genetic backgrounds. The goal is to uncover how specific genetic variations may modify the risk of cognitive decline and ADRD after COVID-19 exposure, informing future prevention and care strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to earlier identification of at-risk individuals and more personalized approaches to preventing or delaying dementia after viral infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous large-scale studies have shown that infections and genetics can interact to influence cognitive outcomes, though this specific multi-ancestry, long-term design is innovative.
Where this research is happening
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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.
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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.
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How COVID-19 and genetic differences may affect memory and Alzheimer's risk across diverse populations
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.