Home Department: Human Biology
Mentor: Michelle Monje (Neurology & Neurological Sciences)

“Investigating Effect of Early Life Respiratory Infection and Secondary Immune Challenge on Long-Term Neurocognitive and Glial Dysregulation”

COVID can cause lasting neurological symptoms, such as a “brain fog” syndrome of persistent cognitive dysfunction. The Monje lab is studying how respiratory immune challenges such as COVID and influenza can cause brain inflammation and consequent neural dysfunction – even when there is no brain infection, and how this “lung-brain” axis of inflammation may particularly influence children whose brains are still developing..