The COMMUTE project will study the risk of dementia and neurodegeneration following infection with a coronavirus

The new EU-funded study COMMUTE (COMmorbidity Mechanisms UTilized in HealthcarE), with the participation of the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), research center of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, will analyze the underlying mechanisms linking COVID-19 infections with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Identifying and understanding these potential links will help pinpointing high-risk groups and establishing new paths for innovative approaches to disease prevention.

The consortium involved in the project, comprising 11 partners, will combine computational and biological research methods and analyze patient data through artificial intelligence to assess whether COVID-19 infection contributes to a heightened risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Modern AI methods will also be implemented to test numerous disease hypotheses in cellular test systems, including experiments involving brain organoids derived from stem cells. Moreover, the study will explore the potential of already existing medications to mitigate dementia or the onset of neurodegeneration processes that COVID-19 might trigger.

About the project

Funded with 7.3 million euros by the European Commission, the project runs from December 2023 to November 2027. 

More information can be found at https://www.commute-project.eu