Summary:
A pilot clinical trial led by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai reports that a portable, non-invasive magnetic headset used at home significantly improved cognition and emotional well-being in adults experiencing long COVID-related “brain fog.”
Published in Brain Communications, this triple-blind, sham-controlled study found that twice-weekly sessions of Microtesla Magnetic Therapy (MMT) enhanced working memory, processing speed, and verbal learning. Notably, the therapeutic gains persisted for at least one month after treatment ended, suggesting durable benefits for cognitive function after long COVID.
Key Facts:
- Targeted brain stimulation: Participants self-administered 15-minute sessions twice weekly for four weeks using an investigational headset that delivered low-amplitude, nonthermal radio-frequency magnetic fields across the whole brain (Microtesla Magnetic Therapy, MMT).
- Measurable cognitive and mood improvements: Compared with an indistinguishable sham device, active MMT produced significant gains in working memory, processing speed, verbal learning, and self-reported emotional well-being.
- Durable aftereffects: Cognitive improvements continued between the end of the four-week treatment period and the eight-week follow-up, consistent with lasting neuroplastic or anti-inflammatory changes.
Source: Mount Sinai Health System
Among the many symptoms that define post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), commonly known as long COVID, cognitive dysfunction remains one of the most disabling. Millions of people report persistent “brain fog”—slowed processing speed, impaired executive function, working memory lapses, and attention deficits that interfere with work and daily life.
Accumulating neuropathological evidence suggests these cognitive problems arise from a mix of sustained neuroinflammation, microvascular endothelial dysfunction, and mitochondrial metabolic stress within neural tissue. Despite the global burden, clinically validated treatments for long COVID cognitive impairment are still limited.
In a randomized, triple-blind pilot trial published in Brain Communications, investigators from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai assessed whether biophysical neuromodulation could address these persistent post-viral neurological symptoms.
The team evaluated Microtesla Magnetic Therapy (MMT), a proprietary, non-invasive technology developed by Fareon® that uses low-amplitude, nonthermal radio-frequency magnetic fields applied across the cortex. Preclinical studies had suggested anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects, making MMT a plausible candidate for long COVID cognitive rehabilitation.
“Cognitive symptoms are among the most persistent and disabling manifestations of long COVID, yet evidence-based treatment options have been sparse,” said Jacqueline Becker, Ph.D., clinical neuropsychologist and assistant professor of medicine at Icahn Mount Sinai, who is co-senior author on the study.
She added that it was encouraging to observe improvements across multiple cognitive domains as well as gains in daily functioning and overall well-being, and that these improvements were maintained after the treatment period concluded.
Triple-Blind, At-Home Intervention
The trial enrolled 30 adults with objectively documented cognitive impairment following COVID-19 infection. Participants were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to active MMT or an indistinguishable sham device designed to look, sound, and operate the same way.
Participants used the headset at home for 15 minutes twice weekly over four weeks, while Mount Sinai clinical coordinators monitored adherence remotely. The investigators measured cognitive performance, mood, and quality-of-life at baseline, at week four (end of intervention), and at week eight (four weeks after treatment ended).
The home-based protocol proved safe and feasible. Participants exceeded the 80% protocol completion threshold and the treatment was well tolerated without significant device-related adverse events reported.
Patients receiving active MMT showed meaningful improvement on objective neuropsychological measures, including:
- Working memory: Greater capacity to hold and manipulate information over short intervals.
- Processing speed: Faster cognitive reaction times and quicker task execution.
- Verbal learning: Improved encoding, retention, and recall on verbal memory tasks.
- Emotional well-being: Lowered mood disturbance and improved self-reported quality of daily life.
Lasting Neuroplastic Improvements Beyond Treatment
Importantly, the clinical gains did not stop when patients stopped using the headset. During the subsequent four-week observation period, participants who received active MMT continued to improve in cognitive tests and mood measures through the week-eight follow-up.
Although the trial did not definitively establish mechanism, preclinical work suggests low-amplitude magnetic oscillations can reduce chronic neuroinflammation, dampen reactive microglial activation, and support mitochondrial bioenergetics—pathways implicated in post-viral encephalopathies and long COVID cognitive symptoms.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 7 percent of Americans are experiencing symptoms related to long COVID, and many of these individuals report cognitive symptoms among their most troubling and disabling complaints,” said David Putrino, Ph.D., Nash Family Director of the Cohen Center for Recovery From Complex Chronic Illness at Icahn Mount Sinai and co-senior author. He emphasized the urgent need for effective therapies for the hundreds of millions worldwide affected by long COVID and called this first-in-human study a promising initial step for a novel therapeutic approach.
The authors stress that these are preliminary findings. MMT remains investigational and requires confirmation in larger, multicenter trials to define optimal dosing schedules, assess long-term durability, and clarify the biological mechanisms responsible for restoring network function.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this neurotech and long COVID Research:
- Media Contact: Elizabeth Dowling
- Source: Mount Sinai Hospital
- Image Credit: Image credited to Neuroscience News
- Original Research is Open Access: Brain Communications (Sept 22, 2026). Title: “Microtesla magnetic therapy for cognitive impairment in long COVID: a randomized pilot study.” Authors: Alexandra Canori, PhD; Eric Watson, PhD; Devanshi Patel, MA; Arianna Fiorentino, MSc; Christopher Santiago, BS; David Maltz, MSE; Blake Gurfein, PhD; David Putrino, PhD; Jacqueline Becker, PhD.
- DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcag364
Abstract
Microtesla magnetic therapy for cognitive impairment in long COVID: a randomized pilot study
Cognitive impairment is common in post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (long COVID) and significantly affects daily functioning and quality of life. Evidence points to sustained neuroinflammation, cerebrovascular dysfunction, and mitochondrial impairment as contributors to these symptoms.
Microtesla Magnetic Therapy (MMT) is a transcranial, low-amplitude radiofrequency magnetic field intervention that has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in preclinical models, suggesting potential benefit for long COVID and other neurological conditions.
This trial represents the first randomized controlled study of MMT for cognitive impairment associated with long COVID, providing initial evidence for safety, feasibility, and potential efficacy that warrants further investigation in larger studies.