Cognitive Training in Health and Disease

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Cognitive Neuroscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (22 February 2026) | Viewed by 2115

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Educational Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Interests: exercise; physical function; children; mental health; cognition; academic performance; education; sleep quality
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,  

We are pleased to invite you to contribute original research articles and reviews to the special issue entitled Cognitive Training in Health and Disease. This special issue seeks to bring together research exploring cognitive training interventions, programs, and strategies across the lifespan, from childhood to old age, in both the health and education fields.

Cognitive training has become a key approach to promoting brain health and improving cognitive performance in healthy populations, as well as in people with various neurodevelopmental, neurological, or psychological conditions. Its application is relevant from early ages to later stages of life, and is a highly interesting tool for both prevention and intervention.

This special issue aims to gather updated scientific evidence on the effects, applications, and scope of cognitive training in different population groups and health conditions. We invite submissions that analyze the impact of digital, in-person, or hybrid interventions aimed at enhancing specific cognitive functions. This special issue welcomes original articles and systematic or narrative reviews. Thematic areas include (but are not limited to) the following: 

  • Cognitive training in childhood and adolescence
  • Interventions for adults and older adults
  • Stimulation programs for neurodevelopmental conditions
  • Applications for neurological or psychiatric disorders
  • Evaluation of the effectiveness of digital platforms and apps
  • Multidisciplinary and innovative approaches to cognitive intervention

We look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. María del Carmen Carcelén-Fraile
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cognitive training
  • child development
  • adolescence
  • executive functions
  • cognitive stimulation, mental health
  • neurodevelopmental disorders
  • healthy aging
  • education and cognition

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

25 pages, 545 KB  
Article
LearningRx Cognitive Training for Workplace Self-Efficacy in Adults with Post-COVID-19 Brain Fog: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study
by Amy Lawson Moore, Edward J. Jedlicka, James C. Patterson and Christina R. Ledbetter
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(4), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16040410 - 11 Apr 2026
Viewed by 1718
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Cognitive dysfunction, or “brain fog”, following COVID-19 viral infection is strongly associated with diminished work capacity which disproportionality affects working-age adults. This study examined an existing method of cognitive rehabilitation training applied to adults struggling with workplace functioning and self-efficacy due to [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Cognitive dysfunction, or “brain fog”, following COVID-19 viral infection is strongly associated with diminished work capacity which disproportionality affects working-age adults. This study examined an existing method of cognitive rehabilitation training applied to adults struggling with workplace functioning and self-efficacy due to post-COVID-19 brain fog. Methods: Nine adults with post-COVID-19 cognitive dysfunction participated in this single arm pilot trial of a severity-adaptive cognitive training program. The participants completed 45–90 h of clinician-delivered cognitive training exercises delivered remotely in 60- to 90-min sessions, two or three times per week. The primary outcome measure was overall workplace self-efficacy with subskills of perceived workplace functioning, perception of cognitive functioning, and perception of home functioning assessed through pre and post surveys and qualitative interviews. The secondary outcome was cognitive function operationalized by an IQ score administered before and after the intervention. Results: The participants achieved significant improvements in workplace self-efficacy and cognition following cognitive training. The main qualitative themes of self-reported improvements were in executive function, health and energy, daily living activities, productivity, and socioemotional functioning. A cross-case synthesis of pre-intervention struggles, and post-intervention improvements revealed subthemes at work or school in cognitive processing and comprehension, memory, executive function, fatigue, emotional distress, confidence in work or academics, and work/academic performance impairment. As a group, the mean gain in IQ score was 10.5 points. Conclusions: This study adds to the growing body of literature examining the possibility of using cognitive rehabilitation for post-COVID-19 cognitive dysfunction impacting workplace self-efficacy and work functioning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Training in Health and Disease)
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