In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Alzheimer’s Association has announced the launch of a new research study to track and understand the long-term impact of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) on the brain. Bringing together scientists from over 25 countries, and supported by technical guidance from the World Health Organisation, the study will evaluate cognition, behaviour and brain function in participants from clinical registries, existing cohorts, and upon discharge from hospital. In total, the research consortium aims to recruit 20-40,000 participants for long-term followup.
To ensure that datasets from different sources can be seamlessly integrated, data collection processes will be harmonised across cohorts. The research study will collect cognitive assessment, neuroimaging, biomarker and clinical data. This study represents a unique opportunity to identify the risk factors for adverse outcomes, evaluate the influence of cultural factors such as stigma, and study the impact of genetic and environmental risk factors on long-term outcomes following COVID-19 infection.
https://www.alz.org/aaic/releases_2020/covid-19-cognition-media-panel.asp
