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"Long COVID-19" on the Human Brain

COVID-19 | Long COVID | Post Acute Sequelae of COVID-19

Over one million Canadians have been infected by COVID-19. Many people who have been infected by COVID-19 experience negative mental symptoms, such as "brain fog" and fatigue. For many of these people, they continue to feel these negative mental symptoms even after recovering from COVID-19. However, scientists still do not know how COVID-19 harms the human brain and causes these mental problems. Our goal is to use advanced brain imaging to determine whether people who have been infected with COVID-19 show damage in their brain. We hope that this information will help doctors determine what treatments should be provided to help people who are suffering from continuing mental problems after being infected with COVID-19.

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Conditions de participation

  • Sexe:

    ALL

  • Âges admissibles:

    18 and up

Critères de participation

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Persons of all races, ethnicities, genders, and sex.
2. 18 years of age or older.
3. Fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with authorized vaccines in Canada.

Participants in COVID-19 groups (Group A and B) will have the following additional inclusion criteria:

1. Previously infected with mild-moderate COVID-19 (i.e., out-patients never hospitalized for COVID-19), as confirmed by review of clinical history.
2. Not currently infected with SARS-COV-2, as confirmed by COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test (RAT).

Additionally, participants enrolled as part of the CNS-PASC group (Group A), must also:

1. Currently experience CNS-PASC symptoms, not present prior to infection, as confirmed by the "Long COVID-19 Symptom Assessment" scale.

Exclusion Criteria:

Participants will be excluded if they meet ANY of the criteria listed below:

1. Unstable medical conditions and/or active uncontrolled autoimmune or inflammatory conditions.
2. Neurological conditions and/or concussion present prior to COVID-19 infection.
3. Substance abuse disorder (except caffeine, nicotine, and cannabis/marijuana) within 6 months of entering the study, as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview (37)
4. Positive urine drug screen for drugs of abuse at the screening visit (except for cannabis/marijuana).
5. Pregnancy (Note: Females up to age 65 must have negative urine pregnancy test at screening), or breastfeeding.
6. Score \<32 on the Wide Range Achievement Test-III.
7. Receiving treatment with medications such as levetiracetam that blocks SV2a binding.
8. Pacemakers, metallic cardiac valves, magnetic material such as surgical clips, implanted electronic infusion pumps or any other conditions that would preclude the MRI scan.
9. Body size/weight above the limits for PET and MRI scanners.
10. Exceeding allowed annual radiation exposure levels for research scans of 20 mSv in the past 12 months as outlined by our PET Centre guidelines.
11. Having completed multiple PET scans in the past, such that participation in this study would cause participant to exceed lifetime limit (8 PET scans).
12. Currently receiving active treatment for cancer.
13. Claustrophobia.

Lieu de l'étude

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

Contactez l'équipe d'étude

Backup Contact

Philip Gerretsen, MD, PhD

[email protected]
416-535-8501
Primary Contact

Ariel Graff, MD, PhD

[email protected]
416-535-8501
Étude parrainée par
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Participants recherchés
Plus d'informations
ID de l'étude: NCT05433324