Post-Covid-19 Effects: The relationship between neuropsychiatric assessment, neurodegenerative markers and neuroimaging in patients aged 50 and over.

• Grant number: 24/18184-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: June 30, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Orestes Vicente Forlenza
• Grantee: Glenda Dias dos Santos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/01769-5 - Late assessment of physical, psychological and cognitive effects in a cohort of patients surviving COVID-19 hospitalization at a tertiary university hospital: a multidisciplinary approach, AP.TEM

Abstract

Introduction: Many individuals affected by COVID-19 report persistent acute symptoms, such as neuropsychiatric impairments and cognitive changes, resulting in functional impairments. Neuroinflammation is the main pathophysiological mechanism of widespread damage to the Central Nervous System, causing persistent physical sequelae and significantly reducing quality of life. We believe that identifying patterns of cognitive deficits associated with COVID-19 is urgent and necessary to distinguish between cognitive impairments associated with COVID-19 and other dementias. Objectives: To correlate the results of neuropsychiatric evaluation with findings of neurodegenerative markers and positron emission tomography/ magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) of the brain in patients who were infected with COVID-19 and aged 50 years or older. Method: prospective cohort study of patients with confirmed laboratory diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 (through PCR and serology) and who were hospitalized for at least 24 hours at the Hospital das Clinicas of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sao Paulo (HCFMUSP) during 2020. 193 patients, aged 50 years or older, who had a moderate or severe diagnosis, positive for COVID-19 during hospitalization will be selected. The sample of this study will be divided into three subgroups: cognitive disorders (n = 70), psychiatric disorders (n = 70) and control (n = 53). Psychiatric and cognitive assessment scales will be applied and laboratory, biomarker and neuroimaging (PET/MRI) tests will be performed. Ethical issues will be guided by the ethical principles of CNS Resolution 466/12. The data will be compiled on the REDCap Platform, in accordance with the guidelines of the general law on the protection of personal data (LGPD) and the statistical analysis will be processed using the Software Statistic Package for Social Science (SPSS) for Windows. Expected results: It is believed that the results will be able to contribute to research related to the sequelae of COVID-19 and dementia, collaborating for the better management and treatment of this population. (AU)