In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, a crucial medical inquiry has emerged: does a SARS-CoV-2 infection elevate the risk of dementia? This question lies at the heart of the EU-funded COMMUTE project, which stands for “COMmorbidity Mechanisms UTilized in HealthcarE.” Led by Prof. Dr. Martin Hofmann-Apitius, Head of the Department of Bioinformatics at Fraunhofer SCAI, COMMUTE aims to shed light on the potential connections between COVID-19 infections and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
The project was sparked by initial observations of COVID-19 patients exhibiting Parkinson-like symptoms and reports of neuroinflammatory responses to the virus. Recognizing the urgency of investigating this phenomenon, Prof. Hofmann-Apitius emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between COVID-19 and neurodegeneration.
“Early in the pandemic, we saw Parkinson-like symptoms in COVID-19 patients; reports published later suggest a neuroinflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infections in some patients. These initial observations have led us to a comprehensive study into the relationship between COVID-19 and neurodegeneration.”
Prof. Dr. Martin Hofmann-Apitius
To tackle this multifaceted issue, the COMMUTE project employs a dual approach:
Data-driven analysis: Leveraging AI to scrutinize existing patient data, the project aims to ascertain whether COVID-19 infection heightens the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
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Hypothesis-driven research: By converting vast scientific literature into “Knowledge Graphs” and utilizing modern AI methods, COMMUTE systematically tests numerous disease hypotheses in cellular test systems, including experiments with brain organoids derived from stem cells.
This interdisciplinary strategy bridges computational and biological research methods, with a focus on exploring the potential of existing medications to treat dementia or combat neurodegeneration processes possibly triggered by COVID-19. Collaboration with REMEDI4ALL, a platform for drug repurposing, further enhances the project’s scope.
COMMUTE aims to revolutionize personalized healthcare with a patient-oriented AI recommendation system for dementia and neurodegeneration risk assessment. Additionally, the project addresses the ethical and legal dimensions of its findings, incorporating input from patient advocacy groups.
Funded with 7.3 million euros by the European Commission, the COMMUTE project spans from December 2023 to November 2027. Its inaugural consortium meeting at the Bonn-Aachen International Center for Information Technology marks the beginning of a pioneering endeavor to unlock the mysteries surrounding COVID-19 and dementia.
