Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a five-year, $9.1 million grant from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study resilience in older adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant also will fund research into the pandemic’s cognitive and emotional effects […]
Studies have determined that in-school transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 is rare when masking, social distancing and other safety protocols are followed. However, little has been known about COVID-19 risks at school for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These students often are unable to mask or maintain social distancing and may have underlying […]
Should doctors take particular care to talk to patients about the potential dangers of COVID-19 if those patients have a problematic relationship with pot? New research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests perhaps they should. Diabetes, obesity and a history of smoking cigarettes are all considered risk factors for poorer COVID-19 outcomes. Warnings and […]
The coronavirus pandemic has emphasized the importance of vaccines, particularly for the elderly, who have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. However, a decline in immune response as well as inflammation that accompanies aging require a booster to improve the immune response. Jai Rudra, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of […]
Many Americans are facing mental health challenges as they deal with the tumult of the last year and the uncertainties ahead. The pandemic has caused waves of isolation and grief. Police violence and systemic racism have elevated fears and frustrations — triggering important conversations as well as powerful stressors. For many, the return to some […]
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Loss of smell has become a hallmark of COVID-19. Up to 80% of infected people experience it. While most people get their sense of smell back as they recover, some do not. And, as Will Stone reports, this phenomenon has triggered new interest and research studies in the field of smell. WILL […]
Throughout the pandemic, doctors have seen evidence that men with COVID-19 fare worse, on average, than women with the infection. One theory is that hormonal differences between men and women may make men more susceptible to severe disease. And since men have much more testosterone than women, some scientists have speculated that high levels of […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed, it has become clear that many survivors — even those who had mild cases — continue to manage a variety of health problems long after the initial infection should have resolved. In what is believed to be the largest comprehensive study of long COVID-19 to date, researchers at Washington […]
Infections with the virus that causes COVID-19 are not the only cause of pandemic-related hospitalizations. Although children tend to be at lower risk of COVID-19, the number of kids with mental health and behavioral problems has exploded during the pandemic, driving an increase in pediatric hospital admissions nationwide. Stressors associated with remote schooling, fear of […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic surged last summer and contact tracers struggled to identify sources of infections, John Cirrito, PhD, an associate professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Carla Yuede, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry, began to kick around an idea. Could a biosensor they’d developed years ago for Alzheimer’s disease […]
In the year since COVID-19 infections first appeared in the United States, a few things have become clear. One is that many who get sick don’t recover quickly. Even those who don’t have to be hospitalized can experience symptoms that linger. Called long-haulers, these individuals suffer from a variety of issues such as shortness of […]
Elizabeth Tesson remembers the exact moment she lost her sense of smell, the day after she tested positive for COVID-19. “I got a very odd feeling in my nose, like a burning sensation in my sinuses and along my cheeks,” said Tesson, who lives in St. Louis County. “About an hour and a half later, […]
Edelmira Rivera was lying on her bed with her husband and 16-month-old son, selecting a movie when she heard a loud bang outside their home in Waco, Texas. Her sister screamed, “Fire!” “I dropped everything and just grabbed my son and his blanket,” said Rivera, 22. “I could not smell anything. I was so shocked […]
Doctors are running a clinical trial to see if a popular anti-depressant might keep someone from becoming severely ill with Covid-19. The researchers at Washington University of St. Louis are recruiting 1,100 people in the beginning stages of Covid-19 to test out the drug fluvoxamine, also known as Luvox. While an anti-depressant may seem like […]
A new episode of our podcast, “Show Me the Science,” has been posted. At present, these podcast episodes are highlighting research and patient care on the Washington University Medical Campus as our scientists and clinicians confront the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 vaccine development has been rapid and successful. Two vaccines that report more than 90% efficacy […]
In a preliminary study of COVID-19 patients with mild-to-moderate disease who were attempting to recover in their homes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that the drug fluvoxamine seems to prevent some of the most serious complications of the illness and make hospitalization and the need for supplemental oxygen […]
New findings from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest the eye’s cornea can resist infection from the novel coronavirus. Although the herpes simplex virus can infect the cornea and spread to other parts of the body in patients with compromised immune systems, and Zika virus has been found in tears […]
The pandemic is affecting everyone, but the stresses it causes are particularly rough for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Providing effective education to such children and getting services to those who need help in their homes is typically complex, but those issues are even more difficult in the face of COVID-19. […]
Many of the most common diseases — cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and lung disease, and even COVID-19 — have been linked to chronic or excessive inflammation. Blood tests can indicate that some part of a person’s body is inflamed, but doctors don’t have a good way to zero in on the site of inflammation and visualize the […]
As the nation’s children, teens and college students attempt to start a new school year amidst debate regarding how best to resume education during the COVID-19 pandemic, a segment of the population in desperate need of in-person supports often is overlooked in the decision-making process, according to a group of experts on the topic. “In […]
A new saliva test to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Results from the COVID-19 diagnostic test are available in a few hours and, ideally, able to be communicated to people tested within a day. Highly sensitive to detecting even tiny levels of […]
It was one thing to navigate the initial stress and disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic. And early on, as people looked for ways to guard mental well-being amid big changes, many realized that it helped to have a sense of horizon in sight. “I can shelter in place for a month” and “One semester at […]
The impact of social media on anxiety and stress during the coronavirus pandemic is the focus of a new study led by mental health experts at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and computer scientists at Georgia Tech. The National Science Foundation is funding the pilot study. The researchers plan to use computer […]
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a worrying shift in my 9-year-old. His characteristic silliness — his goofy giggles and incessant bad jokes — had disappeared. He stopped wanting to go outside and said he was too tired to play. He crawled under his bed covers and lay quietly in his room, while the […]
Psychiatrist Jessica Gold, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, talks about the impact the COVID-19 crisis has been having on mental health. This video is part of a series of short videos focusing on how Washington University health-care workers, scientists and students have responded to the coronavirus pandemic. Read more and […]
Otolaryngologist Jay Piccirillo, MD, professor of otolaryngology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, discusses the loss of smell and/or taste that is sometimes associated with the virus that causes COVID-19. Read more and watch.
More than 10% of those with serious COVID-19 infections have been front-line health-care workers. Now, an international group led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is launching a trial to see whether the drug chloroquine might help those workers. The drug trial won’t treat doctors, nurses and others after they […]
With $9 million in philanthropic support, an international group of physicians and scientists is establishing a research network to evaluate promising therapies for COVID-19. The group, called the COVID-19 Research Outcomes Worldwide Network (CROWN) Collaborative, is testing whether the antimalaria drug chloroquine can prevent COVID-19 infection or decrease its severity in front-line health-care workers. An […]
There is a research model going around that suggests as many as 150,000 additional people could die from mental health-related outcomes of COVID-19. I could argue the merits of the mathematical model as many of my colleagues have. I could also make the case that discussing the depths of despair and predicting increasing suicide rates […]
The number of people evaluated for signs of stroke at U.S. hospitals has dropped by nearly 40% during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study led by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who analyzed stroke evaluations at more than 800 hospitals across 49 states and the District of Columbia. The […]
Millions in the U.S. and around the world are under stay-at-home orders as officials hope to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But how do those practices affect individuals’ mental health? What are the unique mental health challenges people are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how do they affect health care workers, those living […]
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, a diverse team of makers from across Washington University in St. Louis’ Danforth and Medical campuses, Barnes-Jewish Hospital and BJC HealthCare have come together to protect front-line health-care workers and employees on the ground. “With the surge of COVID-19 patients we’re expecting, we want to make sure doctors, […]
The St. Louis region and most of the United States are under stay-at-home orders, meaning that aside from reporting to “essential” jobs that require attendance, and trips to the grocery store, drug store or other necessary errands, most people are spending more time at home than ever before. This week’s podcast features experts in maintaining […]
First the good news: Neurologists who are unable to get into their laboratories and clinics due to COVID-19, and who are not being redeployed to serve in emergency departments, have more time to write up their results for publication. “It may end up being a very productive period of time for one aspect of research, […]
When Washington University Vice Chancellor for Research Jennifer K. Lodge first sounded the alarm about the disruptive impact COVID-19 likely would have on labs across the university, the research community heeded her warning, taking steps to shut down lab work and move as much as possible online. Those in position to do so began pivoting their research […]
Lead Researcher at Washington University School of Medicine Dr. Eric Lenze talks with KMOX Health Editor Fred Bodimer about the Coronavirus and what they are doing to help solve the problem. Listen at KMOX.com.
Although anecdotal reports have suggested certain therapies help some patients, there still are no proven treatments for the disorder. In this episode, we discuss repurposing existing drugs to treat COVID-19. One study involves treating hospitalized patients. Another involves providing infected patients with a drug to take at home as a way to prevent them from […]
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are launching a clinical trial in patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 but who are not sick enough to be hospitalized. The trial is investigating whether the antidepressant medication fluvoxamine, which is currently used to treat patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), can be repurposed […]
To help meet the increasing need for personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic, staff at McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis are making use of the state-of-the-art facilities in the Spartan Light Metals Makerspace to create face shields for those treating […]
Doctors are learning the loss of smell and taste are affecting about half of the coronavirus cases and some people may have those only two symptoms and no fever or body aches. Fox 2’s Mandy Murphey spoke with Dr. Jay Piccirillo a professor of otolaryngology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He […]
Some 23,000 people across the globe — including more than 1,000 Americans — have died as a result of COVID-19 as of March 26. Along with many aspects of life since the virus took hold, grieving also has become more complicated for the friends and families of those who died. “There are two reasons,” said Brian […]
Tim Bono is an assistant dean in Arts & Sciences and a lecturer in psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Bono is also author of Happiness 101: Simple Secrets to Smart Living & Well-Being. Bono As precautions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have shut down our favorite restaurants, social activities and beloved university traditions, […]
