Why some people have lasting thinking and mood problems after COVID-19
Mechanisms underlying delayed neurocognitive dysfunction in long-covid
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · NIH-11101298
This project looks at whether ongoing inflammation after COVID-19 causes long-term memory, attention, anxiety, or depression problems in adults who were hospitalized with the virus.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (HOUSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11101298 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project follows a large group of people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and are stored in a biorepository of more than 650 patients. Researchers will track thinking, memory, attention, and mood symptoms over months to years to describe how long problems last and what they look like. They will compare risk by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and other health conditions. Blood and other stored samples will be analyzed for signs of persistent inflammation and linked to the cognitive and psychiatric findings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who were hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection and who may be experiencing ongoing memory, attention, or mood symptoms or are willing to provide clinical data and biospecimens for follow-up.
Not a fit: People without a history of COVID-19 or whose cognitive symptoms are clearly due to a separate known neurological disease are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help predict who is most at risk for long-term thinking and mood problems after COVID and point to anti-inflammatory strategies to prevent or treat them.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked inflammation to 'brain fog' after COVID, but this project uses a large, diverse hospitalized cohort and long-term biospecimen data to more directly connect inflammation with lasting cognitive and psychiatric changes.
Where this research is happening
HOUSTON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON — HOUSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SCHULZ, PAUL E — UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON
- Study coordinator: SCHULZ, PAUL E
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.
Conditions: Affective Disorders