Ultrasound Brain Stimulation Tested for Brain Fog After COVID-19
Tests ultrasound brain stimulation against sham in adults with long COVID brain fog.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation for Cognitive Function Modulation in Patients With Post COVID-19 Brain Fog
Key facts
- Where
- Beijing and Jining, ChinaSee the 2 sites
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 75 years old?
Source: NCT07154199, who can take part
Where in China
- Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijing, ChinaTaking people
- Shandong Daizhuang HospitalJining, ChinaTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Xuanwu Hospital, Beijing
- Trial code
- NCT07154199
- Record updated
- 4 September 2025
- Original description
This study aims to investigate whether a specific brain region mediates the cognitive deficit in long COVID brain fog, and whether targeted modulation of this region can improve cognition.Read full original descriptionShow less
Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation for Cognitive Function Modulation in Patients With Post COVID-19 Brain Fog
This study aims to investigate whether a specific brain region mediates the cognitive deficit in long COVID brain fog, and whether targeted modulation of this region can improve cognition.
In observational study, the objective was to identify potential intervention targets for patients with long COVID brain fog. A total of 120 patients with long COVID were enrolled. Brain fog (BF) severity was quantified using the Brain Fog Assessment (BFA). Participants completed a continuous random-dot motion (cRDM) task during 128-channel electroencephalography (EEG) and underwent structural MRI and standardized neuropsychological testing.
In interventional study, 40 participants with persistent BF symptoms were enrolled for transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS). On Day 1, participants completed the BFA and provided demographic data, then performed the baseline cRDM task; 20 minutes later, structural MRI and baseline resting-state MRI were acquired. On Day 2, participants received 60 seconds of TUS (active or sham) according to randomized allocation. Twenty minutes post-stimulation, an 8-minute resting-state MRI scan was obtained, followed immediately by the follow-up cRDM task.
Inclusion: 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: 1. Presence of any symptoms of cognitive impairment or other neurological symptoms prior to COVID-19 infection; 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; 2. Structural MRI revealing significant intracranial lesions or structural abnormalities.