Links between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's Disease-What Do We Already Know?
Ewa Rudnicka-DrożakPaulina DrożakGrzegorz MizerskiTomasz ZaborowskiBarbara Janina ŚlusarskaGrzegorz Józef NowickiMartyna DrożakPublished in: International journal of environmental research and public health (2023)
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a life-changing condition whose etiology is explained by several hypotheses. Recently, a new virus contributed to the evidence of viral involvement in AD: the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the COVID-19 coronavirus disease. AD was found to be one of the most common COVID-19 comorbidities, and it was found to increase mortality from this disease as well. Moreover, AD patients were observed to present with the distinct clinical features of COVID-19, with delirium being prevalent in this group. The SARS-CoV-2 virus enters host cells through the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. ACE2 is overexpressed in brains with AD, which thus increases the viral invasion. Furthermore, the inhibition of the ACE2 receptor by the SARS-CoV-2 virus may also decrease the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), contributing to neurodegeneration. The ApoE ε4 allele, which increases the risk of AD, was found to facilitate the SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. Furthermore, the neuroinflammation and oxidative stress existing in AD patients enhance the inflammatory response associated with COVID-19. Moreover, pandemic and associated social distancing measures negatively affected the mental health, cognitive function, and neuro-psychiatric symptoms of AD patients. This review comprehensively covers the links between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease, including clinical presentation, molecular mechanisms, and the effects of social distancing.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- coronavirus disease
- mental health
- end stage renal disease
- angiotensin converting enzyme
- oxidative stress
- inflammatory response
- chronic kidney disease
- ejection fraction
- newly diagnosed
- angiotensin ii
- cognitive decline
- healthcare
- peritoneal dialysis
- type diabetes
- coronary artery disease
- patient reported outcomes
- physical activity
- cell death
- blood brain barrier
- metabolic syndrome
- depressive symptoms
- cell cycle arrest
- cell proliferation
- lps induced
- binding protein
- traumatic brain injury
- adipose tissue
- toll like receptor
- endoplasmic reticulum stress
- skeletal muscle