Neural and cognitive consequences of COVID-19 survival.

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The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has been going on for over a year worldwide, with 115,000,000 confirmed cases and over 2,500,000 deaths (as of Mar 3, 2021). We are seeing people recover from the initial COVID19 infection with complaints of ongoing problems. An increasing number of people are complaining of cognitive deficits and depression/anxiety. Veterans are at a higher risk of COVID19 infection as well as suffering complications due to a number of co-morbidities. Veterans with neurocognitive complications may experience premature aging and neurodegeneration that could manifest as a huge burden for health care. We have brought together two laboratories studying neurocognitive impairment using an EEG, MRI, and behavioral approach as well as laboratory-based data. The Ford lab proposes to query neuropsychological function in Veterans using a computerized internet-based neuropsychological battery, EEG-based measures, functional MRI (connectivity) and structural MRI (gray and white matter volumes, myelin, micro-bleeds). The Pulliam lab has preliminary data to show a continued increase in plasma cytokines in COVID19 survivors. Plasma isolated neuronal enriched extracellular vesicles (nEVs) showed an increase in amyloid beta, neurofilament light and pT181- Tau, all proteins associated with neurodegeneration. The Overall Aim is to determine the extent of the cognitive, clinical, and neurological damage in people recovered from COVID19. The Specific Aims are to: 1) characterize neuropsychological function in COVID19 survivors, 2) assess EEG and MRI data in COVID19 survivors, 3) determine whether peripheral inflammation and markers of neuroinflammation, aging, and neurodegeneration persist in nEVs, and 4) explore relationships between neurodegenerative and inflammatory blood markers and EEG/MRI/NP measures while considering pre-existing co-morbidities and complications of COVID19.