Long Covid ‘increases your risk of Alzheimer’s’

THOSE who are suffering from long Covid could be at greater risk of Alzheimer’s, US scientists have discovered.

Almost one in 10 Brits are believed to have the condition, also called post-Covid syndrome, which can cause fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness and memory problems months – even years – after initial infection.

Experts from Stony Brook University, in New York, have found significantly raised levels of tau, a protein closely linked to Alzheimer’s, in the blood of long-Covid patients.

Clumps of tau protein tangle inside brain cells, disrupting signals and driving memory loss and cognitive decline.

Dr Benjamin Luft, an infectious disease expert and lead author of the study, said: “The long–term impact of Covid-19 may be consequential years after infection and could give rise to chronic illnesses, including neurocognitive problems similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s disease.

“On a practical level, this has important implications for the development of effective vaccines and therapies to prevent acute infection before it can embed itself and lead to long–term disease.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, the UK’s biggest killer.

It’s a brain disorder that gradually destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually, the ability to perform everyday tasks. 

Previous research has suggested that a specific herpes virus could trigger Alzheimer’s, travelling from the gut to the brain.

The new study, published in eBioMedicine, suggests people who develop persistent symptoms after Covid may face a growing risk of future neurodegenerative disease.

Researchers analysed blood samples from 454 people – half of whom reported cognitive problems after testing positive for Covid.

The other half, used as a control group, had either never had Covid or had recovered without developing long-Covid symptoms.

Among long-Covid sufferers, 59 per cent showed higher tau levels in their blood after infection, compared with their pre-Covid measurements. No significant rise was seen in the control group.

“The presence of tau at higher levels in the blood is a known biomarker of lasting brain damage,” said Professor Sean Clouston, corresponding author from the Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicind.

“Therefore, these study results imply that Long Covid could worsen with time and cause changes in neurological symptoms or lead to cognitive difficulties that become worse.”

All participants were World Trade Center responders monitored through the Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program.

The researchers cautioned the group had higher environmental exposure than the general population, meaning results may not apply to everyone.

According to the NHS, long Covid occurs when symptoms persist for more than 12 weeks after infection.

NHS England survey data suggest nearly one in ten people believe they may have long Covid.

Alzheimer’s disease affects around 982,000 people in the UK, a figure projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040.

Symptoms typically include memory issues, difficulties with familiar tasks, problems with language, disorientation, poor judgment or decision-making, misplacing items, and personality changes.

Ways to lower your risk of dementia

There are things you can do to reduce your own risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s.

No single behaviour is guaranteed to prevent dementia – but there’s lots of evidence to suggest that making tweaks to your lifestyle choices could affect your risk.

Dementia risk is lowest in people who have healthy behaviours in mid-life – from the age of 40 to 65 – according to Alzheimer’s Society.

Here are a few easy changes you can make:

1. Exercise regularly to boost your heart health and circulation and help maintain a healthy weight.
2. Drink less alcohol – try to have no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, about one pint of beer or a small glass of wine each day. If you regularly drink much more than this, you are increasing your risk of damage to your brain and other organs, and so increasing your risk of dementia.
3. Don’t smoke – it does a lot of harm to the circulation of blood around the body, particularly the blood vessels in the brain, as well as the heart and lungs.
4. Engaging in social activities to help to build up your brain’s ability to relieve stress and improve your mood – depression and social isolation have both been linked to dementia.
5. Manage health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, which can increase the risk of getting dementia. 
6. Protect your eyesight and hearing – vision loss increases a person’s risk of developing dementia. The same goes for hearing loss, which can also be an early symptom of dementia. 
7. Wear a helmet – as traumatic brain injuries  can start a process in the brain where the substances that cause Alzheimer’s disease build up around the injured area.

Source: Alzheimer’s Society