r/science • u/Wagamaga • Feb 03 '25

Neuroscience Scientists discover that even mild COVID-19 can alter brain proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease, potentially increasing dementia risk—raising urgent public health concerns.

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/260553/covid-19-linked-increase-biomarkers-abnormal-brain/
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u/GenderJuicy Feb 03 '25 edited Feb 03 '25

However, the team urges caution with the findings. They explain their observational study is unable to prove any causal links between COVID-19 and dementia. They also stress it is still unclear whether the effect is specific to SARS-CoV-2 infection, or if a similar effect could be associated with other common infections such as influenza or pneumonia.

That paragraph is pretty important

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u/Iteration23 Feb 03 '25

Theres about to be a four year gap in serious reporting, I presume?

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u/zypofaeser Feb 03 '25

Inside the US. Not world-wide.

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u/amkoc Feb 03 '25

I'm not so sure, the sort of right-wing populism that got the current crop elected has been increasing globally, wouldn't be surprised if similar things happen in other countries eventually.

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u/jusbreathe26 Feb 03 '25

Maybe we gotta learn mandarin, French, German, Russian, and more to keep up with the latest research

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u/zypofaeser Feb 03 '25

Well, much will still be published in English. England, Canada, Emutopia, Kiwiland, India, and many international scientific institutions will continue to use English.

But as Tom Lehrer sang it: "In German, oder Englisch, I know how to count down, und I'm learning Chinese, says Wernher von Braun."

Learning a few more languages will always be useful, even if you're not building rockets.

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u/jusbreathe26 Feb 04 '25

Thank you for the assurance!

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u/All_Bonered_UP Feb 03 '25

Funny how the US folks think they are the center of the world. If they don't do anything nothing gets done I guess.

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u/CotyledonTomen Feb 03 '25

We are discussing medical research. The US is one of the largest public funders of medical research in the world, not to mention one of the biggest private funders of new medications, due to the terrible private insurance and laws surrounding pharmaceutical pricing. Considering trumps arbitrary cuts, including to the NIH and WHO, not the center of the world, but it will have an effect.

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u/Iteration23 Feb 03 '25

The US is a big participant, but this is an ideologically anti science movement and it is global. There are rippling effects on many levels.

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u/chiefmud Feb 03 '25

In very broad strokes. Inflammation is bad for the brain m’kay? 

Anti inflammatory diet, exercise, and sleep help out quite a bit!

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u/Shaeress Feb 04 '25

It is wild to me that we've just recently started learning how much common viral infections contribute to our long term health. Like how HPV was isolated as the main cause of cervical cancer (95% of cervical cancer caused by HPV, according to WHO). A disease that for a while was thought to be essentially harmless. Because most of the time it's largely asymptomatic and the vast majority of Sexually active adults get it.

And then we just know very little about the long term effects of so many common viruses. The common flu strains being incredibly well studied, but with very little knowledge about what they actually do to the human body because practically everyone gets them many times. COVID makes for a very interesting scientific case in that way at least.

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u/Shadows802 Feb 03 '25

It does explain the current US presidency though.

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u/KristiiNicole Feb 04 '25

So what was the excuse back in 2016, several years prior to Covid-19 existing in humans?

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u/catalinaicon Feb 05 '25

Still very concerned as someone with dementia running in their family who got covid twice

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u/Snooty_Cutie Feb 03 '25

Yeah. Too many other variables, like hypertension and other illness that cause inflammatory responses, at play to conclusively say COVID-19 leads to Alzheimer’s.

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u/Character-Storm-3145 Feb 03 '25

It's very important but doesn't add to the fear-mongering about COVID, so they aren't going to lead with that

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u/Op111Fan Feb 03 '25

They want you to read the article.