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Rehab can help people manage brain fog from prolonged COVID
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10 weeks of cognitive rehabilitation helped chronic COVID patients achieve daily goals
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Researchers said the program is already used to treat other conditions and could easily be scaled up for long-term use of COVID-19.
THURSDAY, July 2, 2026 (NewsDay News) – Many people with prolonged COVID suffer from “brain fog” and find it difficult to remember things, think on their feet or concentrate.
But according to a new study, this symptom can be addressed through rehabilitation.
Ten weeks of cognitive rehabilitation helped chronic COVID patients overcome their brain fog and allowed them to achieve goals in their work and home lives, researchers reported on July 1. JAMA Open Network.
“The sessions at the trial were really helpful because they taught me to break tasks down into smaller parts and stop worrying too much and imagining words that I couldn’t find,” study participant Emma Sullivan said in a news release.
“I’ve improved my concentration once again to be able to complete a 1,000-piece puzzle on my own, after struggling with my grandson’s 30-piece puzzles before,” Sullivan said. “I can now accept that COVID has changed my life because now I can manage it better, so I live better.”
The researchers said in background notes that 1 in 3 people with COVID develop long-term COVID, and brain fog is one of the most common symptoms, which can last for months or even years.
“People may find it difficult to concentrate or hold their thoughts because they struggle with memory, attention and planning, often accompanied by fatigue.” Martina Vanovaa professor of cognitive and biological psychology at Kingston University in London, UK, said in a news release.
For the new study, researchers in England recruited 78 people who had suffered from prolonged COVID-related brain fog for at least three months.
All patients were asked to set three key goals for themselves – things like watching a full movie, staying focused on a book, or becoming as proficient at work as before.
Half were then assigned to receive cognitive rehabilitation, delivered in one-on-one hour-long video calls with a therapist. The sessions helped patients develop strategies to help them manage their cognitive symptoms. The other half of the participants received standard care.
Six months after the end of the program, just over half of the rehabilitation patients (53%) achieved an improvement of four or more points on the 10-point goal achievement scale, compared to only 15% of those in the control group.
“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have sought to better understand the long-term fog associated with COVID-19 and explore ways to address it,” said the joint senior researcher. Dr. Dennis Chanprofessor at the London Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience said in a news release.
“With this study, we found that an individualized cognitive rehabilitation therapy program can help those affected return to normal activities,” he said.
Aida Suarez-Gonzaleza clinical neuropsychologist at University College London, is a co-author of the study.
“We have found a treatment that provides meaningful and sustained clinical benefit for people with cognitive symptoms of COVID,” he said in a news release.
“Since this program is based on established cognitive rehabilitation techniques that have been used for other conditions, we hope that it can easily be used as a treatment option for people currently living with prolonged COVID,” said Suarez-González.
More information
Yale Medicine has more information prolonged COVID brain fog.
Source: University College London, news release, July 1, 2026
What does this mean for you?
People with prolonged brain fog from COVID should ask their doctor about cognitive rehabilitation programs.
