January 2026

NEUROSCIENCES

STUDY FINDS LONG COVID PATIENTS HAVE FLUCTUATING RECOVERY PATTERNS FROM NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

Northwestern Medicine scientists use mobile app to distinguish patients who improved and did not improve from neurological manifestations

In a new first-of-its-kind study published in BMC Neurology, Northwestern Medicine scientists used a mobile application to characterize patterns of recovery from neurologic symptoms of long COVID and distinguish between patients who improved and those who did not.
 
“Although close to six years have passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still a forgotten epidemic of long COVID worldwide that is causing profound alteration of patients’ quality of life and ability to work,” says Igor J. Koralnik, MD, the study's senior author and chief of Neuroinfectious Diseases and Global Neurology at Northwestern Medicine. “Our patients’ main concern is when will they recover from their long COVID symptoms. This study provides evidence-based information that practitioners can use to answer these questions, devise better management and set reasonable expectations about recovery from long COVID.”

Dr Koralnik also oversees the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic and is the co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center.

Study Details
  • 63 patients used the Neuro-COVID Recovery Care Companion app for three months to track their recovery, beginning approximately one year after symptom onset.
  • Patients were asked to indicate the presence or absence of the 12 most frequent neurological symptoms of long COVID. They were also asked their percent recovery compared to pre-COVID infection.
  • Study participants found the app easy to use, useful and satisfactory.

​Study Findings
  • 57% of patients did not improve, while 43% improved.
  • Patients who improved had a fluctuating recovery pattern from neurological symptoms of long COVID and more frequent setbacks than patients who did not improve
  • Patients who improved were less likely to report insomnia at the clinic, suggesting  that focusing on correcting insomnia and other sleep disorders may help patients recover.
  • Women were less likely to improve than men.
  • Also less likely to improve were patients who experienced a combination of a loss of smell, altered taste and no have insomnia.

​“A study is currently ongoing that will follow a larger group of patients for a one-year period and test biomarkers for long COVID,” says Dr. Koralnik. “The success of the app for long COVID indicates that similar symptom trackers could be created for other chronic conditions.”
 
To date, the Neuro COVID-19 Clinic has treated close to 3,300 people with long COVID from 44 states. To refer a patient, please call 312.695.7950.
Igor Koralnik, MD, the Archibald Church Professor of Neurology and chief of Neuro-infectious Disease and Global Neurology at Northwestern Medicine

Refer a Patient

Northwestern Medicine welcomes the opportunity to partner with you in caring for your patients. ​

You May Also Like