Notes
In December 2019, a coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began infecting humans, causing a novel disease, coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). This was first described in the Wuhan province of the People s Republic of China. SARS-CoV-2 has spread throughout the world, causing a global pandemic. To date, thousands of cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the United Kingdom, and over 45,000 patients have died. Some progress has been achieved in managing this disease, but the biological determinants of health, in addition to age, that affect SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and mortality are under scrutiny. Recent studies show that several medical conditions, including diabetes and hypertension, increase the risk of COVID-19 and death. The increased vulnerability of elderly individuals and those with comorbidities, together with the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases with advanced age, led us to investigate the links between neurodegeneration and COVID-19. We analysed the primary health records of 13,338 UK individuals tested for COVID-19 between March and July 2020. We show that a pre-existing diagnosis of Alzheimer s disease predicts the highest risk of COVID-19 and mortality among elderly individuals. In contrast, Parkinson s disease patients were found to have a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection but not mortality from COVID-19. We conclude that there are disease-specific differences in COVID-19 susceptibility among patients affected by neurodegenerative disorders.
Application 60124
The effects of age, metabolism, genotype and systemic health on cognitive health.
In a global ageing population, preventing dementia is a major public health care challenge. While there is no cure for dementia, identifying therapeutic targets and modifiable risk factors is critical. The UK Biobank collected data on behaviour, systemic health, genetics, brain imaging and blood chemistry, which we can modify to prevent or alleviate the pathology of dementia.
Our group has recently identified potential therapeutic methods to alleviate symptoms of pathological cognitive decline in model organisms. Employing cutting-edge methods in genetics and epidemiological research, we will use data from the UK Biobank to validate our insights in humans. Our research will generate valuable information on the mechanisms of the disease as well as insights into potential new methods to delay the onset of dementia.
Lead investigator: | Mr Yizhou Yu |
Lead institution: | University of Oxford |
1 related Return
Return ID | App ID | Description | Archive Date |
2811 | 60124 | Links between air pollution and COVID-19 in England | 5 Nov 2020 |