Investigating how COVID-19 affects the brain and its connection to Alzheimer's disease.
Official title: COVID-19-related blood-brain barrier and microstructural brain injury; Sex differences and synergy with Alzheimer's disease risk
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-10991004 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how COVID-19 might affect thinking and memory in older adults, especially those with Alzheimer's, and it wants to find out if the way the brain protects itself plays a role in this, while also considering if men and women are affected differently.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $689,977 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG077202-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-10991004 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults, especially those aged 65 and above, who have experienced COVID-19.
✕Less likely to help
Patients under the age of 65 or those who have not had COVID-19 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the impact of COVID-19 on cognitive function, particularly in older adults, and examines how the disease may worsen conditions related to Alzheimer's disease. It focuses on the blood-brain barrier's role in this process, assessing how its dysfunction could lead to brain injury following COVID-19 infection. The study will also consider sex differences in these effects, as both conditions show varying impacts based on gender. By understanding these connections, the research aims to uncover the underlying mechanisms that link COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment strategies for cognitive impairments following COVID-19, particularly in older adults.
How similar studies have gone: While there is emerging research on the effects of COVID-19 on cognitive function, this specific investigation into the interplay with Alzheimer's disease is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reas, Emilie T. — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Reas, Emilie T.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How COVID-19 may damage the brain and interact with Alzheimer's risk
This project looks at whether COVID-19 can harm the brain's protective barrier and worsen Alzheimer's-related changes in older adults, and whether effects differ between men and women.
-
Brain small-vessel injury and its link to Alzheimer's disease
This project will look for connections between small blood-vessel damage in the brain and later memory decline in older adults without dementia, including Black and Hispanic participants.
-
Brain blood vessel health and memory in older adults
Looks at whether small blood vessel damage in the brain is linked to early memory loss in older adults, with focus on Black and Hispanic communities.
-
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on long-term care for older adults with and without dementia.
This study looks at how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the care for older adults, especially those with Alzheimer's and related conditions, to help find better ways to support them during tough times.
-
Diversity of PDE2A Signaling in Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s Disease
This project explores how an enzyme called PDE2A affects brain cell energy and inflammation after brain injury, to understand its link to Alzheimer’s-related dementia.
-
Pandemic isolation and memory in older Veterans with and without Alzheimer's
This project looks at how COVID-19 social isolation affected thinking and memory in older Veterans with and without Alzheimer's disease.
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.