People who have a genetic mutation associated with an increased the risk of dementia may also be twice as likely to have severe coronavirus symptoms, according to new research.
Scientists have said a faulty gene called ApoE4, found in people of European ancestry, is linked to a greater risk of severe Covid-19, even when they were not affected by dementia.
They said their findings, published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, suggest that some people may be genetically predisposed to be more severely affected by the disease.
Study leader David Melzer, a professor of epidemiology and public health at Exeter University, said: "Several studies have now shown that people with dementia are at high risk of developing severe