In a revelatory study, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have uncovered an alarming link between severe COVID-19 and cognitive decline. The findings, published today, underscore the importance of monitoring and treating post-COVID symptoms in hospitalized patients.
Analyzing data from approximately 3 million US adults and 675,000 US children, the study found that hospitalized individuals with a positive COVID-19 test faced increased odds of developing long-COVID symptoms and other conditions. Both adults and children with severe COVID-19 were at higher risk for a range of symptoms and conditions, including cognitive disorders, respiratory diseases, and diabetes.
Delving deeper into the connection between COVID-19 and cognitive decline, the researchers discovered that the virus alters the expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the human frontal cortex. This critical brain region is responsible for cognitive functions like memory, language, and decision-making.
The team identified differentially expressed RNA species and significant genes with corresponding gene symbols. A distinct separation between COVID-19 cases and controls was observed through analysis, with top differentially expressed lncRNAs such as LINC01007, LINC01094, and NEAT1 displaying similar expression patterns to those found in aged individuals and Alzheimer’s Disease patients.
Guilt-by-association pathway analysis further implicated several lncRNAs in cognitive function pathways, which were validated using qRT-PCR. These findings suggest potential lncRNA therapeutic targets to modulate neuroinflammation and alleviate cognitive deficits associated with COVID-19.
As the world continues to grapple with the far-reaching implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, the work of these researchers sheds new light on the importance of addressing long-term effects on cognitive health. Their discoveries may pave the way for innovative treatments and interventions to combat the lingering impacts of this devastating virus.
