Long COVID Brain Changes Linked to Alzheimer's Biomarkers

Event summary

  • NYU Langone Health researchers found patients with Long COVID had a 10% larger choroid plexus (CP) compared to those recovered from COVID-19.
  • CP size increases correlated with elevated blood levels of pTau217 (Alzheimer's marker) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (brain injury marker).
  • Patients with larger CPs performed 2% worse on the Mini-Mental State Exam, a cognitive screening test.
  • Structural changes in the CP included expanded volume and reduced blood flow, potentially due to inflammation-driven vascular remodeling.
  • Researchers plan to follow patients over time to determine if CP alterations predict long-term cognitive decline.

The big picture

This research highlights a concerning potential long-term neurological consequence of COVID-19, linking it to the underlying mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. With approximately 780 million people globally infected with COVID-19, even a small percentage experiencing this neurological impact could represent a significant public health burden. The findings underscore the need for further investigation into the long-term effects of viral infections on brain health and the potential for early detection and intervention strategies.

What we're watching

Longitudinal Study
The success of the planned longitudinal study will be critical in establishing causality between CP changes and cognitive decline, rather than correlation.
Treatment Impact
How interventions targeting inflammation and vascular remodeling in the CP will affect the progression of cognitive decline in Long COVID patients remains to be seen.
Prevalence
The pace at which these CP alterations are identified in broader Long COVID populations will inform the scale of potential future cognitive health challenges.

Related topics

Public Health