Cognitive Remediation

NCT ID: NCT07171450

Last Updated: 2026-01-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

75 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2026-01-21

Study Completion Date

2030-04-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a neuroscience-based computerized cognitive remediation ("brain training") program can treat neurocognitive dysfunction (i.e., memory or thinking difficulties) that emerges in some older adults following a viral infection. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Does computerized cognitive remediation improve cognitive performance and day-to-day functioning in older adults with postviral neurocognitive dysfunction?
* Will treatment effects be maintained over time, leading to better long term cognitive outcomes?
* Does the treatment lead to reductions in blood-based markers of inflammation as a potential mechanism of cognitive symptom improvement?
* Can the treatment be optimized and refined based on feedback from participants to improve user (patient) experience? Researchers will compare the computerized cognitive remediation program to an active computer-based control condition (alternative computer activities) to see if the computerized cognitive remediation program works to treat postviral neurocognitive dysfunction.

Participation takes approximately 43-48 hours over 7 months, with most activities (40-46 hours) completed within the first 7-8 weeks, including:

* Initial intake visit: Eligibility confirmation (\~2-3 hours)
* Computer activities: About 5 hours per week for \~6 weeks (total \~30 hours) completed on a computer tablet provided by the study and loaned to participants for use during the treatment phase
* Weekly remote check-in meetings: \~30 minutes each during treatment
* Blood draws: Two sessions (before and after treatment), \~20-30 minutes each
* Three research visits: Pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up (\~2-3 hours each, including assessments of cognitive, emotional, and daily functioning)

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

A significant minority of older adults display persistent cognitive impairments after the acute phase of a viral infection, referred to as Postviral Neurocognitive Dysfunction (PND). Underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood, though chronic neuroinflammation appears to reflect a key pathway. PND is debilitating, increases the risk for accelerated biological aging and dementia, and is associated with a substantial economic burden to society. Older adults are at heightened risk for PND given weakened immune systems, baseline age-related cognitive decline, and susceptibility to more severe acute viral illness. There is a critical lack of evidence-based treatments. The goal of this project is to determine the potential of a neuroplasticity-based computerized cognitive remediation (CCR) intervention for treating PND in older adults and probing underlying mechanisms.

The proposed design is a randomized, two-arm, clinical trial pilot study. Older adults with PND (N = 75) will be assigned to a 6-week course of neuroplasticity-based CCR or an active, computer-based control condition. Specific aims are to: examine preliminary efficacy of CCR for improving cognitive performance and day-to-day functioning in older adults with PND (Aim 1); optimize and refine the CCR program for older adults with PND using iterative, data-driven, participatory design methodology (Aim 2); and determine if CCR reduces peripheral inflammation as a potential mechanism of clinical symptom relief (Exploratory Aim 3).

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Aging Inflammation Cognitive Remediation Cognitive Dysfunction Postviral Syndrome Digital Medicine

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

This is a randomized two-arm, pre-post, clinical trial pilot study.
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Computerized Cognitive Remediation

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Computerized Cognitive Remediation

Intervention Type OTHER

The computerized cognitive remediation intervention ("NeuroFlex") consists of a series of gamified tasks 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. Importantly, NeuroFlex personalizes gameplay with adaptive algorithms that adjust difficulty on a trial-by-trial basis. Participants are prescribed a 30-hour dose distributed across 6 weeks. The treatment is completed remotely by the participant within their own home or other private location that is most convenient for the participant.

Active Computer-Based Control

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Alternative Computer Activities

Intervention Type OTHER

The active control condition is carefully matched to the experimental condition in duration, computer tablet use, audiovisual stimulation, reward presentation, and interaction with study staff. It involves playing visuospatially-oriented computerized games that do not load on executive functions and watching stimulating educational videos.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Computerized Cognitive Remediation

The computerized cognitive remediation intervention ("NeuroFlex") consists of a series of gamified tasks 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. Importantly, NeuroFlex personalizes gameplay with adaptive algorithms that adjust difficulty on a trial-by-trial basis. Participants are prescribed a 30-hour dose distributed across 6 weeks. The treatment is completed remotely by the participant within their own home or other private location that is most convenient for the participant.

Intervention Type OTHER

Alternative Computer Activities

The active control condition is carefully matched to the experimental condition in duration, computer tablet use, audiovisual stimulation, reward presentation, and interaction with study staff. It involves playing visuospatially-oriented computerized games that do not load on executive functions and watching stimulating educational videos.

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

NeuroFlex

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* age ≥ 60 years old
* prior history of COVID-19 that was confirmed with viral testing (e.g., positive laboratory test or positive at-home rapid test)
* cognitive symptoms (e.g., memory or thinking concerns) following COVID- 19 infection that have lasted for at least 12 weeks and are still present
* clinically meaningfully subjective cognitive concerns (i.e., T-score \< 40) on the PROMIS-Cognitive Function Scale
* objective evidence of cognitive decline, as defined by performance on standardized measures of executive functioning, memory, or processing speed from the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery that is at least 1 standard deviation below estimated premorbid cognitive functioning
* fluent in English language
* off psychiatric medication or on a stable dose for at least 8 weeks

Exclusion Criteria

* history of neurological disorder with potential to interfere with study participation or confound results (e.g., uncontrolled seizure disorder, moderate to severe traumatic brain injury or stroke with persistent neurological deficits)
* history of dementia and/or dementia range performance on the Mini- Mental State Examination (i.e., score of less than or equal to 23)
* prior diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or Mild Neurocognitive Disorder unrelated to the participant's history of COVID-19
* history of severe psychiatric illness that may interfere with study participation or confound results (e.g., bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other psychotic disorder)
* history of significant neurodevelopmental condition that may interfere with study participation or confound results (e.g., intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, or specific learning disorder with impairment in reading)
* alcohol or other substance use disorder within the past 2 years
* significant sensory impairments (e.g., blindness) that would interfere with the ability to complete neuropsychological measures or engage in the tablet-based intervention
* performance that is below expectation on a test of effort and validity
Minimum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Cutter Lindbergh

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Cutter Lindbergh

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Cutter Lindbergh, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

UConn Health

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

UConn Health

Farmington, Connecticut, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

United States

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Holly Eddy, Ph.D., LMFT-S

Role: CONTACT

860-679-3751

Jennifer Brindisi, M.A.

Role: CONTACT

860-679-7581

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

1K23AG086612-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

25-389-2

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.