Why some people have lasting thinking and mood problems after COVID-19
Official title: Mechanisms underlying delayed neurocognitive dysfunction in long-covid
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston · NIH-11101298 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Sci Ctr Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $627,797 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG080137-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11101298 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
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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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Defining neutrophil biology in pediatric Long COVID
This project looks at why some kids develop Long COVID by studying neutrophils to help find new ways to diagnose and treat the condition.
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Advancing Long COVID Care in Our Community through Access and Collaboration
A community-focused project to make long COVID care more accessible and equitable for people in St. Louis and rural Missouri.
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Pediatric Long COVID Care Network: Improving access and coordinated care for children
A nationwide pediatric program is testing a patient-centered, multi-disciplinary approach to help children with long COVID, especially in underserved communities.
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Comunidad: Expanding Long COVID care in underserved South Texas
A new program will broaden and coordinate Long COVID care for underserved communities in San Antonio and South Texas to improve access and outcomes.
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Atlanta Long COVID Coordinated Care Model for Diverse Populations
A regional program in Atlanta aims to improve access and coordination of care for people with Long COVID, especially in underserved communities.
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Long COVID Care Resources and Education to Improve Community Health
A program to support federally-qualified health centers in providing better Long COVID care through education, a shared hub, and easy referral pathways for underserved communities.
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.