COVID-19 has dominated our lives for the past 3 years, and although we now know a lot about the virus and about the COVID-19 illness, we are just starting to learn about the long-term effects of the pandemic, the virus, and the sickness. In my laboratory, we study how illness and inflammation – a part of the body’s own defenses against viruses and other invaders – can cause short- and long-term changes in the brain, in memory, and in cognition. Over the past few years, we have become specifically interested in the role of inflammation in long-COVID, a syndrome that can last months or longer, and includes neurological symptoms including “brain fog” and decreased memory function. In this talk, I will discuss what we have learned from animal models of COVID-like inflammation and memory dysfunction, and what we are trying to learn about COVID-related risks for age-related cognitive decline and dementias including Alzheimer’s disease.
Exploring the Mind: Community Talks by U-M Psychology Faculty is a monthly lecture series held in collaboration with the Ann Arbor District Library (AADL).
Talks for Winter 2023 will be held in-person at AADL's downtown branch. Flyers for each talk, including abstracts and speaker bios, will be sent in advance to members of our audience located in the greater Ann Arbor area. Talks will also be recorded and made available for later viewing online. Visit the Community Talks website for more information and to view the recorded presentations.
