Background:Most people who get COVID-19 seem to recover with no long-term effects. However, somepeople who recover from acute COVID-19 infections report lingering symptoms. This iscalled long COVID. Many people with long COVID report symptoms related to the nervoussystem; these can include problems with fatigue, speech, and memory.Objective:To test motor memory in people with long COVID, compared to healthy volunteers.Eligibility:People aged 18 to 90 years who are also enrolled in study protocol 000089. Healthy adultsare also needed.Design:Participants will be screened by telephone. They will confirm they are able to typewithout discomfort using their nondominant hand. They will confirm they have access to acomputer connected to the internet.All study tasks will be done online. Participants will complete 2 tasks in 2 days.Participants will be sent a link to a website. The website will give them instructions.They will place the fingers of their nondominant hand over 4 numbers on the keyboard andtype a sequence (eg, 4-1-3-2-4). They will type this sequence as often as they can in 10seconds. Then they will rest for 10 seconds before repeating the task. They will repeatthis pattern for 15 minutes.After they finish the typing task, participants will take a 10-minute questionnaire. Theywill answer questions about their experiences with COVID-19 and memory issues; they willsay which hand they use for tasks such as brushing their teeth or throwing a ball.Participants will get a notice to repeat the typing task 22 hours after they finish thefirst one. They should complete the second task within 28 hours....
This study will objectively test procedural motor memory in a group of people with
ongoing symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19 infection.
Primary Objective: We will use a keyboard typing task to investigate procedural memory
formation (primary endpoint measure) in the context of COVID-19 infection. We have two
primary comparisons using the same outcome measure
- To compare procedural memory formation between patients with persistent symptoms
following COVID-19 infection ( long COVID ) and matched controls who deny symptoms
of long COVID (as reported in self-report questionnaires).
- To compare procedural memory formation between long COVID patients with memory
complaints and long COVID patients without memory complaints.
Secondary objectives:
Micro-online gains, micro-offline gains, and long-term consolidation (all secondary
measures) will be investigated
- between patients with long COVID and matched controls.
- between long COVID patients with memory complaints and long COVID patients without
memory complaints
Exploratory objectives: To compare primary and secondary outcome measures between long
COVID patients and healthy controls who report prior COVID-19 infection but are not
suffering long COVID symptoms
Primary endpoint measure: Early procedural memory formation, as measured by the
difference in tapping speed (keypresses/second) between the first and last correct
training trial of early learning (first 11 trials) in a keyboard task.
Secondary endpoint measures:
Micro-online learning. Performance improvements within training trials
Micro-offline learning (rapid consolidation). Performance improvements during rest
intervals interspersed with training periods.
Longer-term consolidation (24 hours). Performance improvements between the last training
trial of Day 1 and the testing trial of Day 2. We hypothesize that early procedural motor
memory learning will be reduced in long COVID patients as compared to healthy controls
(primary hypothesis). Seondarily, we hypothesize that micro-online learning,
micro-offline learning (rapid consolidation), and longer term consolidation (24 hours)
will be also reduced in long COVID patients as compared to controls.
Behavioral: keypresses
benign behavioral intervention-- keypresses
- INCLUSION CRITERIA:
In order to be eligible to participate in this study, patient volunteers must meet all of
the following criteria:
Ability of subject to understand and the willingness to review an informed consent
Aged at least 18 years at the time of enrollment, and no older than 90 years of age.
Identity of dominant hand
1. Question: Which hand would you choose to hold the pen to write a formal letter?
2. Note: no specific answer is required for inclusion, but it is required for the next
question.
English-Speaking:
Ability to type without discomfort using non-dominant hand
Enrolled in the screening phase of Protocol 000089 Post-Coronavirus Disease 19
Convalescence at the National Institutes of Health in the post-COVID convalescence arm
(i.e. reports having started recovery from an acute COVID- 19 infection within past six
month and is able to provide documentation of a positive COVID-19 PCR or antibody test)
In order to be eligible to participate in this study, healthy volunteers must meet all of
the following criteria:
Ability of subject to understand and the willingness to review an acknowledgement of
participation agreement
Aged at least 18 years at the time of enrollment, and no older than 90 years of age
English-speaking
Ability to identify dominant hand
1. Question: Which hand would you choose to hold the pen to write a formal letter?
2. Note: no specific answer is required for inclusion, but it is required for the next
question.
Ability to type without discomfort using non-dominant hand
Deny active infection with COVID-19, or ongoing symptoms following COVID-19 infection
Ability to use an internet-connected laptop or desktop computer in a private setting
located in the continental U.S. to complete the study task.
This protocol can enroll NIH Employees/staff, including NINDS employees/staff. Staff
members from our section and their immediate family members are excluded from
participation.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
Patient group: A patient who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from
participation in this study:
A condition prior to the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection that would significantly
confound interpretation of the behavioral task, as determined by the screening clinician
(e.g., prior diagnosis of a neurologic condition such as large stroke, Alzheimer s
disease or Parkinson s disease, or severe psychiatric condition).
Staff from our section, and their immediate family members
Healthy Volunteer group: A person who meets any of the following criteria will be
excluded from participation in this study:
A condition that would significantly confound interpretation of the research tests as
determined by the screening clinician (e.g., prior diagnosis of a neurologic condition
such as large stroke, Alzheimer s disease or Parkinson s disease, or severe psychiatric
condition)
Fever, respiratory symptoms or diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
History of COVID-19 with residual neurologic symptoms following diagnosis that did not
resolve within 14 days of disease onset.
Previous participation in this study (platform filter).
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Bethesda, Maryland, United States
Investigator: Margaret Hayward, M.S.N.
Contact: 301-451-1335
mimi.hayward@nih.gov
Margaret K Hayward, C.R.N.P.
(301) 451-1335
mimi.hayward@nih.gov
Leonardo G Cohen, M.D.
(301) 496-9782
cohenl1@mail.nih.gov
Leonardo G Cohen, M.D., Principal Investigator
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)