What We Still Don’t Know About COVID-19 and the Brain

But it’s still unclear, Karlawish notes, why this happens and whether patients will gradually recover from such neurological damage. “There’s a real urgency to get these answers, especially for older adults whose brains are already at higher risk of cognitive problems,” he says. Among other groups, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the National Institutes of Health has launched a database to collect some of this information, he adds.

The role and risks of dementia 

Another area the GCBH report suggests as a critical research need is assessing whether COVID-19 will contribute to later-in-life cognitive decline or dementia. “We’re hopeful that a deeper understanding of how COVID-19 affects neurological function will also help us understand why some people suffer from cognitive symptoms longer than others, and whether people who suffer from diseases that affect the brain, such as Alzheimer’s, are at increased risk,” Karlawish says. “Right now, we just don’t know.”  

To investigate such questions, the study authors note, a group that includes researchers from around the world — following World Health Organization guidance — has launched a global study of more than 40,000 patients age 50 and older to look at the short- and long-term effects of COVID-19 on the brain.  

As we continue to battle the virus, researchers also want to understand more about its effects on patients with dementia, who are known to be more likely to become infected with COVID-19, as well as to be hospitalized and die from it, than those without the condition. “It’s not surprising, because patients with dementia are more likely to be vulnerable to a whole host of illnesses because of issues with self-care, like being able to comply with masking and social distancing,” says Karlawish, who adds that they’re also more likely to have conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, that put them at greater risk. “That’s why it’s so important to do research in this population, to help us find ways to reverse these poor outcomes.”

The toll of isolation

The GCBH report also suggests tracking the social and mental effects of the pandemic on older adults’ brains. “The need to social distance has left many seniors completely isolated, which we also know is not good for their cognitive health,” Lock says. “It also means living with heightened anxieties, fears and concerns, and these types of cumulative stresses over time can impact overall brain function, including the ability to think and reason, as well as attention and mood.” For these reasons, the council’s brain health experts recommend gathering data on how the pandemic will affect the long-term mental well-being — including mood and emotional stability — of older adults.