Neurofeedback for COVID-19 Brain Fog: A Secondary Analysis

This secondary analysis technical report uses quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) neurofeedback to treat brain fog, a group of cognitive challenges such as sluggish thinking, memory lapses, confusion, and poor focus, often observed in long COVID. In the original case report, a 34-year-old female patient was administered approximately 15 sessions of Z-score neurofeedback. Pretest and post-test neurofeedback training qEEG reported significant declines in high-beta activity, i.e., beta, Hi beta, beta 1, and beta 3, and notable increases in alpha and theta brainwaves. These improvements were most evident at electrode sites C4, F3, and P3. The patient reported improved attention and memory, reduced anxiety, and less pain, although depression reduction was less. These results suggest that a relatively short program of neurofeedback can assist in shifting the brain from hyperarousal to a calmer, more efficient state. This may potentially offer a non-pharmacological method for treating constant post-COVID brain fog. Additional studies are necessary to validate these findings.