Elderly infected with Covid at 80% higher risk of getting Alzheimer’s

Washington, September 14

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Older people infected with Covid-19 are at 50-80 per cent higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s within a year, according to a study of over 6 million patients in the US.

The research, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, found that the highest risk the disorder was observed in women aged at least 85 years old. Researchers said it was unclear whether Covid-19 triggers new development of Alzheimer’s or accelerates its emergence.

The factors that play into the development of Alzheimer’s disease have been poorly understood, but two pieces considered important are prior infections, especially viral infections, and inflammation. —Pamela Davis, western reserve school of medicine, US

Researchers analysed the anonymous electronic health records of 6.2 million adults 65 and older in the US, who received medical treatment between February 2020 and May 2021, and had no prior diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

They then divided this population in two groups: one composed of people who contracted Covid-19 during that period, and another with people who had no documented cases of Covid-19.