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Observational Study of Cognitive-Sensorimotor Function in Long-COVID

This study is looking at how Long-COVID, also called Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC), affects your brain and body movements. Researchers want to understand how PASC impacts your ability to walk and keep your balance. They will compare people with and without PASC to see how their thinking (cognition), vision, sense of body position (proprioception), muscle strength, walking, and balance are affected. This study does not involve any specific treatments or interventions. To join, you must be over 18, have had a positive COVID-19 test in the past, and have experienced COVID-19 symptoms for more than three months. The study aims to enroll 136 participants and is currently unclear on its recruitment status.

Study design
This is an observational study, meaning no treatments are given. It plans to include 136 participants.
What's involved
You would participate in a single two-hour session where your cognition, joint position sense, and King-Devick Test results will be measured.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Not specified.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT06850350

Cognitive-Sensorimotor Function in Long-COVID

Recruiting
Not specifiedAges 18+Observational
VA Office of Research and Development
~136 participants
Updated 2026-05-08 on ClinicalTrials.gov

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery
Measured over During single session of two hours
+5 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Post-acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Explore related trials

Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19

NCT06850350

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 1 site. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL

    Chicago, Illinoisstudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

Study leadership

  • Matthew J. Major, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL
  • Keith Edward Gordon, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL

Who to contact

Matthew J Major, PhD
[email protected]
(312) 569-6166
Email the study team

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Older than 18 years of age
Positive PCR or Rapid COVID-19 test in the past
Onset of COVID-19 illness greater than 3 months prior to their participation in the study
Self-reported ability to walk 10 meters with or without external assistance prior to COVID-19 illness

Exclusion

Presence of severe cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and/or neurological and musculoskeletal disorders unrelated to COVID-19 (e.g., amputation, stroke, spinal cord injury)
Cognitive impairments precluding ability to provide informed consent.
Severe acute COVID-19 infection requiring hospitalization or diagnosed post-intensive care syndrome.
Presence of musculoskeletal, inflammatory, or neurological conditions mimicking Long COVID-19 symptoms (e.g., concussion within last 5 years, Chronic fibromyalgia, Myofascial pain syndrome, etc.)

What this trial measures

  • NIH Toolbox Cognition BatteryDuring single session of two hours

    The NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery to assess working memory and attention cognitive function. Working memory and attention cognitive function are quantified through performance on the List Sorting Working Memory Test and Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test, respectively, administered via tablet. Raw scores from these measures can be converted to normally distributed standard (scaled) scores adjusted for age, education, sex, and/or race/ethnicity (T-Scores), as appropriate. A higher score means better performance.

  • Joint position sense proprioceptionDuring single session of two hours

    Joint position sense is measured by participants' ability to accurately extend the knee joint to a target reference angle. Participants will be seated and perform nine trials where they have to replicate guided knee joint angle position of 30, 45, or 60°. The difference between guided and replicated position is recorded as the angle error, where greater error means worse proprioception.

  • King-Devick TestDuring single session of two hours

    The King-Devick Test assesses ocular-motor function. Participants are asked to accurately and rapidly read rows of single-digit numbers displayed on a tablet. The test score is calculated as the total time required to read three test cards (each test card is approximately a full page of numbers), where faster is better.

  • Maximum voluntary muscle strengthDuring single session of two hours

    Participants will be seated and isokinetic maximum voluntary contraction is measured with a dynamometer, normalized by participant height and body mass (N-m/kg-m). Greater values mean better strength.

  • Dual task gait costDuring single session of two hours

    Participants will walk at their self-selected speed for 10 laps back and forth along a 10-m straight walkway with wide turns, once without a cognitive task (single task) and once with a cognitive task that stresses working memory (dual task). Difference in gait speed (m/s) is the dual task gait cost, in which higher values mean worse performance.

  • Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on BalanceDuring single session of two hours

    Participants stand on a force plate and perform four balance tasks for which participants are instructed to maintain quiet upright balance: 1) eyes open on a firm surface while focusing straight ahead (access to all three modalities), 2) eyes closed on a firm surface (compromised visual), 3) eyes open on a foam surface while focusing straight ahead (compromised somatosensory), and 4) eyes closed on a foam surface (compromised visual and somatosensory). Total CoP distance travelled (mm) of the four specific balance tasks is measured, with greater distance meaning worse performance.