Long-term thinking and memory changes after COVID-19 in older African Americans
Post COVID-19 Neuro-Cognitive Manifestations and Underlying Mechanisms in Older African Americans
Researchers will follow older African American adults who had COVID-19 to learn how the infection may cause lasting problems with thinking, memory, and daily activities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11297612 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will be asked to join a multi-year program that tracks changes in thinking and memory after COVID-19. Over several visits, you'll complete cognitive tests, have brain scans, undergo cardiovascular checks (including a 6-minute walk and ECG monitoring), and provide blood and, if you agree, a small cerebrospinal fluid sample. The team will look for patterns and risk factors such as APOE genotype and blood-vessel or inflammation markers that might explain cognitive changes. About 407 African American adults age 50 and older who had COVID-19 will be followed over time to see how symptoms develop or improve.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are African American adults aged 50 or older with a prior COVID-19 infection who can attend clinic visits and provide blood and possibly cerebrospinal fluid samples.
Not a fit: People who never had COVID-19, are younger than 50, or cannot undergo scans or sample collection (including lumbar puncture) may not find this study relevant or beneficial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify who is most at risk for lasting cognitive problems after COVID and point toward ways to prevent or treat them.
How similar studies have performed: Previous reports have described lingering cognitive symptoms after COVID-19, but detailed long-term studies with imaging and cerebrospinal fluid in older African Americans are limited.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hajjar, Ihab M — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Hajjar, Ihab M
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.