A groundbreaking study aims to determine if long COVID-19 could lead to another, new type of dementia.
Dr. Marwan Sabbagh is the professor of Neurology at the Barrow Neurological Institute. He says one of the biggest complaints that people have, weeks or months after their COVID-19 symptoms have subsided, is brain fog or other issues, like memory loss.
So while the COVID-19 virus does not appear to cross the blood/brain barrier, "We initially thought so. Now we don't think so," he said. "But there is evidence of fragments or an inflammatory kind of a massive inflammatory response that occurs triggered by COVID. And those inflammatory markers we tend to notice in the brain."
And that could cause something called COVID-19 Cognitive Impairment.
"And we are going to compare people with COVID cognitive impairment. To be clear on this, I think that COVID can cause cognitive impairment and maybe even dementia, but it doesn't cause Alzheimer's."
Anyone between the ages of 50 and 90, with a documented COVID-19 infection and long-term COVID-19 effects can participate in the study.
"We are asking people to commit though. And to be clear on this, the commitment involves brain scans, PET scans, spinal tap, memory tests, twice in the span of two years," he explained. "So people who we want to sign up are people who are really committed to helping us find the answer to this problem."
Sabbagh says there are currently no treatment guidelines for the management of the long-term effects of neurological COVID-19, which is why this study is so significant.
Members of the public interested in participating in the study should call 602-406-4280 or email [email protected].
