Neurological consequences represent a major component of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19)-infected patients have reported a vast spectrum of neurological symptoms, some of them lasting and commonly called long-COVID. Emerging research has found that SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with longitudinal changes in brain structure and a decline in cognitive function, even in ...
Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland
Investigating the Implications of Covid-19 Infection on the Human Brain
GOAL
$15,000
Australia > QLD > Metro
31/07/2024 > 31/07/2025
Field of Interest
- Health/wellbeing and medical research
Target Population
- General population
Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland
QBI is the flagship neuroscience research institute at The University of Queensland (UQ) and a world leader in brain research, devoted to a fundamental understanding of how the brain works.
Established in 2003, when philanthropist Chuck Feeney, the Queensland Government and UQ joined forces to create a neuroscience research centre of excellence, QBI has grown from 20 research staff to an internationally renowned team of more than 300 staff and students. QBI scientists enjoy a global reputation for undertaking outstanding research as they make important advances in neuroscience. They are all focused on two of the greatest challenges of modern science: understanding brain function and the prevention and treatment of disorders of the brain.
In the past two decades, important advances in fundamental neuroscience have been made and these findings are being applied to the development of new therapeutic approaches to prevent and/or restore loss of function in diseases of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer’s and other dementias, stroke, motor neurone disease, concussion, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.
Our Vision - Improved lives through a deeper understanding of the brain in health and disease.
Our Mission - Unlocking the mysteries of the brain to generate new knowledge, understand learning and memory, and develop new technologies to improve lives, and diagnose and treat brain disease and improve mental health.
Project Summary
Neurological consequences represent a major component of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19)-infected patients have reported a vast spectrum of neurological symptoms, some of them lasting and commonly called long-COVID. Emerging research has found that SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with longitudinal changes in brain structure and a decline in cognitive function, even in patients with mild disease.
Recently, viral RNA has been detected in patient brain tissue and was found to persist in some individuals for as long as 230 days post infection. Understanding the mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 affects brain function is key to design future therapeutic avenues for treating long-COVID. A recent study has found that SARS-CoV-2 relies on free fatty acids (FFAs) for the virus to bind to and enter brain cells. Our lab has recently demonstrated that key FFAs are required for memory formation and have identified a new memory pathway.
Given the emerging evidence of FFAs’ role in SARS-CoV-2 infection and the neurological symptoms of long-COVID, particularly memory impairment and cognitive fog, we are investigating if SARS-CoV-2 may disrupt key FFAs that are essential for learning and memory. We are exploring the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the brain’s FFAS and whether blocking viral entry can prevent these changes in FFAs and ultimately, reduce the cognitive impact of long-COVID.
Project Outcomes
This research addresses the critical issue of how SARS-CoV-2 enters brain cells and impacts learning and memory pathways, providing a potential mechanism driving long-COVID. We aim to develop a new treatment approach by determining whether blocking viral infection using an FDA-approved therapeutic for treatment of depression will prevent the virus entering brain cells and commandeering the memory pathway we have recently identified. Repurposing a drug that has been established as safe to use in humans that can reduce the cognitive impact of long-COVID will have immediate benefits for individuals at the time of infection but may also prevent long-term neurological damage and degeneration. The long-term consequences of interactions of SARS-CoV-2 with our brain cells are currently unknown but could lead to intractable neuronal degeneration as previously found with the 1918 influenza pandemic. Indeed, people born during the time of the Spanish flu outbreak had a 2–3-fold increased risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. It is essential to address this potential scenario before it becomes a reality.
Overall, given the high incidence of long-COVID and the expected development of new strains, this research has enormous potential economic and societal consequences. However, we cannot discount the even greater significance that improving our understanding of these fundamental processes of how viruses enter brain cells and impact brain function may have for viruses yet to evolve will have. Preparing for future pandemics should not be limited to developing secure supply chains for goods and services but should embrace cutting edge fundamental research.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $55,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| D&J Wilson Foundation (confirmed) | $40,000 |
| Funding gap (unconfirmed) | $15,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Human Cortical Organoids | $25,000 |
| Cell Culture Reagents | $3,000 |
| Inhibitors (Dyng4A, Chlomiparmine) | $2,000 |
| Mass Spectrometry Reagents | $5,500 |
| Mass Spectrometry Facility Use | $9,500 |
| PC3 Lab Access | $10,000 |
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