Researchers Study Link Between Viral Infections Like Covid-19, Alzheimer’s

New research lends more evidence to the fact that viral infections like Covid-19 could contribute to the development or worsening of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia down the road.

In the paper, published Oct.18 in the Journal of Neurochemistry, researchers examined whether Covid-19 is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, and how the conditions might interact.

Covid-19 is already linked to many of the comorbidities and risk factors shared by Alzheimer’s disease. While “definitive causal links between Covid-19 and neurodegeneration have not been established,” the researchers noted ways by which the disease could cause or hasten neurodegeneration, dementia and eventually Alzheimer’s disease.

Although researchers still haven’t definitely pinpointed their exact cause, neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s are thought to be linked to the abnormal folding and aggregation of certain proteins in the brain. Genetic mutations, aging, and other environmental factors, including Covid-19 infections, could influence the development of that process and potentially increase risk.

“Regardless of how these processes occur, the long-term consequences of two colliding diseases … and their synergistic effects on neurodegeneration are yet to be seen, and further research is needed to understand the impact of Covid-19 on neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s,” the researchers wrote.

Throughout the pandemic, there have been multiple studies showing an association between Covid-19 and higher risk of cognitive disorders. A 2022 study showed that older adults have an increased risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease within 360 days after contracting Covid.

Pre-existing dementia is also a “prominent risk factor” for Covid-19, according to the researchers. And older adults with Alzheimer’s have been shown to experience more severe infections with higher rates of death in previous studies, they noted.

Looking ahead, there are other studies underway that could better analyze how Alzheimer’s disease and Covid-19 interact.

“Ongoing research holds promise, with the potential to offer interventions that could improve public health outcomes amid an aging population,” the researchers wrote.