Brain-Training Treatment for Long COVID in Older Adults

NCT ID: NCT05705193

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-04-07
• Study Completion Date: 2026-06-30

Brief Summary

This research is being done to collect preliminary data on the potential of computerized "brain-training" exercises for treating Long COVID symptoms in older adults. The investigators hypothesize that computerized brain-training will be an acceptable and feasible intervention for treating Long COVID symptoms in older adults. The investigators also expect to provide initial evidence that computerized brain-training has potential for improving thinking, mood, and other aspects of everyday functioning in older adults with Long COVID.

Detailed Description

Some patients who contract coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially older adults, show lingering neuropsychiatric symptoms such as cognitive impairment, brain fog, and depression. These neuropsychiatric symptoms-commonly referred to under the umbrella term "Long COVID"-are debilitating and may last for months or even years after viral infection. The purpose of the present study is to help address this public health crisis by determining whether computerized "brain-training" treatment has potential for improving thinking, mood, and other aspects of functioning in older adults with Long COVID. More specifically, the first aim is to determine the acceptability and feasibility of using brain-training treatment in individuals with Long COVID. The second aim is to evaluate for potential efficacy by determining whether brain-training treatment appears to improve cognitive function, mood, and other aspects of daily functioning in Long COVID.

Conditions

Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Computerized Cognitive Remediation

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

NeuroFlex (computerized gamified tasks)

Intervention Type: OTHER

The computerized cognitive remediation intervention ("NeuroFlex") consists of a series of gamified tasks (e.g., BrainHQ, Neurogrow, Ultimate Word Master) administered via computer tablet. The intervention provides both "bottom up" training to improve basic processing of sensory stimuli and "top down" training to improve executive functions. Participants will be asked to complete approximately 7.5 hours a week of computer treatment over an approximately 6-week period, for a total of approximately 45 hours of treatment. The treatment will be completed remotely by the participant within their own home or other private location that is most convenient for the participant.

Interventions

NeuroFlex (computerized gamified tasks)

The computerized cognitive remediation intervention ("NeuroFlex") consists of a series of gamified tasks (e.g., BrainHQ, Neurogrow, Ultimate Word Master) administered via computer tablet. The intervention provides both "bottom up" training to improve basic processing of sensory stimuli and "top down" training to improve executive functions. Participants will be asked to complete approximately 7.5 hours a week of computer treatment over an approximately 6-week period, for a total of approximately 45 hours of treatment. The treatment will be completed remotely by the participant within their own home or other private location that is most convenient for the participant.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• prior history of COVID-19 based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines including a positive laboratory test (e.g., nucleic acid amplification test) or a positive rapid test
• age ≥ 60 years old
• current self-reported cognitive symptoms persisting after the acute phase of the illness (i.e., >4 weeks after COVID-19 symptom onset) that cannot be explained by alternative diagnoses
• evidence of subjective cognitive impairment with a Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) Perceived Cognitive Impairment (PCI) Subscale Score of ≤ 40 and/or endorsing any item on the FACT-Cog PCI Subscale as occurring nearly every day or several times a day
• Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) ≥ 27
• fluent in English
• off psychiatric medications or on a stable dose for at least 1 month prior to commencing the study with no intention to change dose prior to completion of the study.

Exclusion Criteria

• history of neurological disorder or other medical condition with potential to impair cognitive functioning or interfere with study participation (e.g., epilepsy, stroke, dementia, head trauma followed by persistent neurological deficits or known structural brain abnormalities)
• prior diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or Mild Neurocognitive Disorder unrelated to the participant's history of COVID-19
• history of significant psychiatric illness per Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), criteria that may interfere with study participation or confound results (e.g., schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, bipolar and related disorders, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, personality disorder)
• history of significant neurodevelopmental condition that may interfere with study participation or confound results (e.g., intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder)
• alcohol or other substance use disorder within the past 2 years
• significant sensory or motor impairments (e.g., blindness) that may interfere with the ability to complete neuropsychological measures or engage in the intervention

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

UConn Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Cutter Lindbergh

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Cutter Lindbergh, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

UConn Health

Locations

UConn Health

Farmington, Connecticut, United States

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Holly Eddy, Ph.D., LMFT-S

Role: CONTACT

eddy@uchc.edu

860-679-3751

Jennifer Brindisi, M.A.

Role: CONTACT

brindisi@uchc.edu

860-679-7581

Facility Contacts

Jennifer Brindisi

Role: primary

brindisi@uchc.edu

(860) 679-7581

Other Identifiers

Departmental Funds

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

P30AG067988

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

23-089-2

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id