Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
08:41
Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection in K18 hACE2 Transgenic Mice Using Reporter-Expressing Recombinant SARS-CoV-2
Published on: November 5, 2021
SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Vaccination Status, and Dementia Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study
Nika Zur1,2, Nili Stein3,4, Walid Saliba4,5,6
1School of Public Health, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
|June 20, 2026
Summary
COVID-19 infection increases dementia risk, particularly in hospitalized patients. Vaccination offers protection, with risk comparable to other respiratory infections like pneumonia.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Cognitive impairment following SARS-CoV-2 infection is a growing concern.
- Existing research on the link between COVID-19 and dementia risk is inconsistent.
- Understanding this association is crucial for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and incident dementia risk.
- To explore the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on dementia risk.
- To compare dementia risk after SARS-CoV-2 infection with that of pneumonia.
Main Methods:
- A nationwide nested case-control study in Israel involving individuals aged 50+.
- Matched 27,280 dementia cases with 272,800 dementia-free controls using density sampling.
- Analyzed associations using multivariable conditional logistic regression models.
Main Results:
- SARS-CoV-2 infection was linked to a higher dementia risk (OR=1.18), especially in hospitalized patients.
- The risk was comparable to pneumonia (OR=1.89) and diminished after six months.
- COVID-19 vaccination correlated with reduced dementia risk (7-31% lower with 2-4 doses).
Conclusions:
- COVID-19 infection, particularly severe cases requiring hospitalization, is associated with increased dementia diagnoses.
- The dementia risk following COVID-19 is comparable to that of other respiratory infections.
- COVID-19 vaccination demonstrates a protective effect against dementia.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
01:03Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer
Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
01:29Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Biases can arise at various stages of research, from study design and data collection to analysis and interpretation. Recognizing and addressing these biases is essential to ensure the validity and reliability of epidemiological findings.Broadly speaking, biases in epidemiology fall into three main categories: selection bias, information bias, and confounding. A more detailed description of possible biases is:
01:23Investigation of Disease Outbreaks
Multistate foodborne outbreaks pose significant public health risks and require meticulous investigation to identify sources and implement control measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a dynamic seven-step process for these investigations, integrating data from laboratories, interviews, and environmental assessments to protect public health.Outbreak Detection: The detection of multistate outbreaks typically begins with PulseNet, the CDC's national laboratory...
01:05Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...