Focused ultrasound to improve thinking in post‑COVID brain fog

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

The work combines an observational phase and a small interventional phase to find and test a brain region linked to long‑COVID cognitive problems. In the observational portion, 120 people with long‑COVID brain fog underwent cognitive testing, a continuous random‑dot motion task during 128‑channel EEG, and structural MRI to identify candidate targets. In the interventional portion, 40 participants with ongoing brain fog received either real or sham transcranial ultrasound stimulation targeted to the identified region, with baseline and post‑stimulation cognitive testing and MRI measures. Outcomes focus on changes in a Brain Fog Assessment score and task performance following a single short session of stimulation.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients should have a history of COVID-19 infection (positive test results for either polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen test) and report persistent brain fog (BF) symptoms at least 4 weeks after recovering from acute COVID-19.

Exclusion Criteria:

* 1\. Presence of any symptoms of cognitive impairment or other neurological symptoms prior to COVID-19 infection;
* 2\. Structural MRI revealing significant intracranial lesions or structural abnormalities;
* 3\. Development of severe neurological complications after COVID-19 infection, including delirium, cerebrovascular diseases, encephalitis, and epilepsy;
* 4\. Other disorders that may cause cognitive impairment, including Dementia, Schizophrenia spectrum disorders, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

Where it's running

• Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University
  Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China Recruiting
• Shandong Daizhuang Hospital
  Jining, Shandong, China Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Yi Tang, MD., PhD — Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing
• Study coordinator: Yi Tang, MD., PhD
• Email: tangyi@xwhosp.org
• Phone: 00861083198673

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.