Treating Brain Fog in Long COVID Using an Attention Training Intervention: Feasibility and Acceptability 1163

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Location: ROOM: Waldorf Room >>> DIRECTIONS: Third Floor >>> From the Main Elevator Bank, proceed left. Waldorf is the first room on your left.

Corresponding Presenter(s)

Shira Cohen-Zimerman, PhD

Research Scientist
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Chicago, IL, United States

Slides Slides

Presenter(s)

Kathryn Magee, M.H.S., CCC-SLP/L, CBIS

Therapy Manager, Speech-Language Pathologist
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Moderator(s)

Elliot J. Roth, MD

Chair, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Non-Presenting Contributor(s)

Leora R. Cherney, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS, FACRM

Scientific Chair
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Chicago, Illinois, United States

Presenter(s)

Rachel S. Hitch, M.A. CCC SLP (she/her/hers)

Research SLP
Shirley Ryan Ability Lab
Chicago, IL, United States

Five years into the COVID-19 pandemic, long COVID remains a significant public health challenge. Among its most debilitating symptoms is brain fog—a persistent cognitive impairment affecting attention, memory, and executive functioning. Despite its high prevalence, no evidence-based treatments exist, leaving many individuals struggling.
This symposium presents an ongoing randomized controlled trial designed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of Attention Process Training (APT-3), as an intervention for brain fog in individuals with long COVID. An in-depth description of the study design is provided. Data on feasibility and acceptability also is presented, including recruitment and retention rates, as well as stakeholder feedback collected through surveys and interviews. Our findings demonstrate that using the APT-3 in individuals with long COVID is practical and well-received.
This symposium aims to advance discussions on interventions for long COVID brain fog, and provide actionable insights for clinical practice and research.

Learning Objectives:

Explain the design of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed at testing APT-3 as a potential treatment for brain fog in individuals with Long COVID.
Describe the feasibility of using the APT-3 intervention to treat brain fog in individuals with Long COVID, based on recruitment and retention data.
Evaluate the acceptability of using APT-3 to treat brain fog in Long COVID, drawing on quantitative (scales) and qualitative (interview) responses from participants.