To treat the cognitive symptoms of the long Covid, a team of New York doctors is testing a new therapy. It is based on a video game that has already been validated for the treatment of attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity.
Several months after contracting the Covid-19, some people still have symptoms cognitive, often described as a ” fog cerebral ”. Fatigue, memory problems and difficulty concentrating prevent them from returning to a normal life. In an attempt to help them, doctors are testing therapy based on a video game.
EndeavorRX is a game developed by Akili Internactive for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and which received the fire green from the US Medicines Agency (FDA) last summer. Doctors in New York come from launch a study to test the effectiveness of the game to treat symptoms of long-term Covid. Patients with similar symptoms will be divided into two groups. The first group will play the game regularly, and the evolution of their symptoms will be compared to the second group who will not use the game and will serve as a control group.
Positive results for other cognitive disorders
Our colleagues from The Verge interviewed Faith Gunning, doctor and neuropsychologist, who is leading the study. According to her, the game “ targets an important function: the ability to do more than one thing at a time ”Which would be impacted in people suffering from Covid long.
Dr Gunning and his colleagues have already conducted similar studies on “middle-aged” and older people who suffer from depression and other cognitive problems. They noted changes in the brain, with improvements in attention, executive functions, and even mood. If the present study is conclusive, EndeavorRX will make it possible to offer treatment to the many people with cognitive symptoms of long-term Covid without saturating current services.
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