Cognitive Interventions and Rehabilitation to Address Long-COVID Symptoms: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Long COVID symptoms include cognitive and physical deficits impacting one’s functional performance and quality of life. Limited evidence examines the use of cognitive interventions provided by occupational therapists in treating long COVID symptoms among adults. This systematic review summarizes existing studies on cognitive interventions and rehabilitation to treat long COVID symptoms and discusses their potential use within the scope of occupational therapy practice. We identified literature from 2021 to 2023 through searches of MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Trials, and Scopus databases. Nineteen articles met inclusion criteria and were categorized into five types of intervention: (a) cognitive training, (b) cognitive behavioral therapy, (c) neurostimulation, (d) neurostimulation combined with cognitive training, and (e) multi-component rehabilitation programs. Strong evidence supports cognitive training, moderate supports cognitive behavioral training and low-level evidence supports other interventions provided by occupational therapists to target long COVID cognitive symptoms in adults.