TDCS-potentiated Generalization of Cognitive Training in the Rehabilitation of Long COVID Symptoms

University of Minnesota (UMN)

Status: Withdrawn

Conditions: Post-acute Sequelae SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC)

Treatments: Other: Active tDCS; Other: Sham tDCS

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05589272

30319 protocol

Details and patient eligibility

About

The overarching goals of this study are to employ cognitive testing to understand how transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), when used concurrently with cognitive training tasks, can affect cognitive impairment symptoms in individuals with long COVID, or post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), and to examine variability in response between active and sham tDCS treatment groups.

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Ability to provide consent and comply with study procedures
• Age 18 to 60 years old
• Estimated IQ within the specified range (70 <= IQ E <= 115)
• Current post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) as defined by the National Center for Health Statistics post-COVID-19 conditions survey ((Long COVID 2022), including impaired cognition symptoms, for at least 3 months post-infection
• Ability to participate in four weekly 40' training sessions over four weeks and participate in two assessments
• English speaking

Exclusion criteria

• Any medical condition or treatment with neurological sequelae (e.g. stroke, tumor, loss of consciousness >30 min, concussion involving hospital admission, HIV)
• Contraindications for tDCS (e.g. history of seizures)
• Five or more sessions of neuromodulation (such as tDCS) or cognitive training in the past 6 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

---

0 participants in 2 patient groups

Cognitive training + active-tDCS

Experimental group

Description:

Cognitive training + active-tDCS 4 times per week (20 minutes per session, each (\~25cm²; current density = 0.08 mA/cm²); anode on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex F3, cathode on right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex F4) for four weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Active tDCS

Cognitive training + sham-tDCS

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Cognitive training + sham-tDCS 4 times per week (20 minutes per session, each \~25cm²; current density = 0.08 mA/cm²); anode on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex F3, cathode on right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex F4) for four weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Sham tDCS