Jennifer Frontera, MD: Risk of COVID-19 in Patients With Neurologic Disorders

“The things that predispose folks to pulmonary manifestations are probably going to drive risk more so than other factors.”

The effects of COVID-19 on patients who are compromised has been well documented since the start of the pandemic. Social distancing and preventive measures have been put in place to not only slow the spread, but keep those who are of older age, have weaker immune systems, and/or have potentially life-threatening conditions away from the general population.

Jennifer Frontera, MD, professor of neurology, NYU Langone, claims that there is not enough data to support the thought that those with underlying neurologic conditions may be more at risk to the virus, but she does see the overlap. For instance, those who suffer from dementia and Alzheimer disease may be generally of older age, a factor that increases the risk of COVID-19 mortality.

In this interview with NeurologyLive, Frontera describes the ongoing research dedicated towards learning more about the risk factors associated with neurologic disorders and COVID-19. Additionally, she emphasizes why the need for long-term data is crucial to learning more about its effects.