SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Accelerates Alzheimer’s Disease Via Increased ACE2-Mediated Cerebrovascular Inflammation

Pandemic Could Lead to Expanded Dementia Population Needing Care

By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH

Many are concerned about the increasing burden of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The economic burden of dementia care in the US is substantial, with costs projected to continue rising significantly in the coming decades. In 2020, direct medical costs for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRDs) reached $196 billion, and the value of unpaid caregiver time was estimated at $254 billion, according to Nandi et al in an article in Nature. By 2050, these costs are projected to exceed $1 trillion. As with autism, there is great urgency to understand what is causing and worsening dementia.

Reveret et al have shown that among many changes in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, there is increased vascular expression of the ACE2 enzyme.