Large Population Study Finds COVID-19 MRNA Vaccines Associate with Troubling Rate of Alzheimer’s Disease

Physician-scientist&nbsp;Jee Hoon Roh, MD, PhD, with Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul and colleagues investigated COVID-19 vaccine side effects with an eye on any links to Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease. Enter the team&rsquo;s nationwide retrospective study, designed to investigate any association between COVID-19 vaccination and the onset of the neurodegenerative disorder and its early signals, mild cognitive impairment. Tapping into and leveraging data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service, the Seoul-based investigators analyzed data from a random 50% sample of city residents aged 65 years and up. Equating 558,017 study subjects, the study team divided individuals into vaccinated and unvaccinated cohorts. Individuals in the vaccinated cohort residing in Korea&rsquo;s largest city, Seoul, were immunized with either mRNA or cDNA vaccines. Study endpoints considered Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease and mild cognitive impairment diagnosis in post-vaccinated populations, pinpointed via ICD-10 codes. Study outcomes were derived from application of multivariable logistics as well as Cox regression analyses while patients with vascular dementia or Parkinson&rsquo;s disease were included as controls. The study outcomes raise significant concerns, to say the least.&nbsp; Preliminary evidence points to a &ldquo;potential link between COVID-19 vaccination, particularly mRNA vaccines, and increased incidence of both Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease and mild cognitive impairment." Not surprisingly, the Korean investigators call for more research to verify the signals identified in this observational study. Of specific interest would be further elucidation of any relationships between vaccine-induced responses and neurodegenerative processes while investing in ongoing monitoring and study into especially mRNA vaccine long-term neurological impacts.
While this observational study has limitations&mdash;it is not designed to prove causation, the findings here raise significant questions and a need for urgent attention. TrialSite notes that the peer-reviewed journal including this study has an&nbsp;impact factor of 14.04, considered quite high.