Can the ReCODE Program Help Post-COVID Cognitive Decline?

Last updated: October 2025

For many people, COVID-19 did not end when the fever broke. Instead, weeks or months later, they still struggle with brain fog, word-finding problems, poor focus, and even memory loss. This lingering condition—often called long-COVID cognitive decline—can feel frightening. Fortunately, there is a clear and hopeful path forward. The ReCODE Program identifies the root causes behind brain dysfunction and then corrects them, while Functional Neurology helps rebuild the brain’s pathways through neuroplasticity. Together, they offer a practical way to recover clarity, energy, and confidence.

Why Post-COVID Brain Fog Happens

COVID-19 can affect the brain in several ways. First, it can trigger neuroinflammation that disrupts how neurons communicate. Next, it can reduce blood flow and oxygenation, starving brain cells of the fuel they need. Finally, it can impair mitochondria, the “powerhouses” inside each cell, which leads to low mental energy and slower processing. Research in Nature and The Lancet Psychiatry shows that COVID can even change brain structure in regions tied to memory and attention.

• Inflammation: Cytokines remain elevated and keep the brain in a “hot,” irritated state.
• Vascular changes: Microclots and endothelial injury impair oxygen delivery.
• Hormone and metabolic shifts: Thyroid, cortisol, and insulin resistance can worsen cognition.
• Mitochondrial slowdown: Cells make less ATP, so thinking feels harder and slower.

Because several drivers often act at once, single-drug strategies rarely solve the problem. You need a comprehensive plan that addresses all the causes together. That is exactly what the ReCODE Program provides.

What the ReCODE Program Does Differently

The ReCODE Program—developed by Dr. Dale Bredesen—takes a precision-medicine approach to cognitive decline. Instead of masking symptoms, it measures the factors that damage the brain and then corrects them in a personalized plan. At The Carroll Institute, we follow this method and integrate it with Functional Neurology to activate neuroplasticity and rebuild lost pathways.

Step 1: Test Thoroughly to Find Your Root Causes

• Inflammation markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-alpha)
• Hormones and nutrients (thyroid, cortisol, estrogen/testosterone, vitamin D, B vitamins)
• Metabolism (fasting insulin, HbA1c, HOMA-IR)
• Toxin burden (mycotoxins, heavy metals) when indicated
• Genetics (e.g., APOE, detox pathways) when appropriate
• Functional Neurology assessment to map which circuits are underperforming

Step 2: Calm Inflammation and Restore Metabolic Balance

Next, we lower inflammatory drivers, optimize sleep and stress biology, balance hormones, and stabilize blood sugar. We also support detoxification when needed. As the brain’s environment improves, neurons communicate more efficiently, and energy production rebounds.

Step 3: Rebuild Brain Pathways with Functional Neurology

Finally—and critically—we retrain the brain. Through customized neurological exercises, photobiomodulation therapy, and neurosensory-motor integration drills, we stimulate weak regions and re-establish healthy networks. This is how patients recover their memory, processing speed, and attention in daily life.

Who Benefits Most from ReCODE After COVID?

Patients with any of the following tend to see strong results:

• Persistent brain fog lasting more than 4–8 weeks after infection
• Short-term memory loss, word-finding difficulty, or poor focus
• Fatigue and “mental energy crashes” during the day
• Sleep disruption, anxiety, or mood changes that started post-COVID

Because the program addresses many mechanisms at once, it often helps even when other treatments have not. Moreover, it builds brain resilience, which protects against future setbacks.

What Results Can You Expect?

We track progress with objective tools like MoCA and CNS Vital Signs, as well as with functional assessments of balance, eye movements, and reaction time. In published ReCODE studies, over 80% of participants improved across memory and executive-function measures. At our clinic, many post-COVID patients notice clearer thinking and steadier energy within weeks; others improve steadily over several months as inflammation falls and pathways rebuild.

“Post-COVID brain fog is not ‘all in your head.’ Once you uncover the causes and rebuild the circuits, the brain comes back.”

— Dr. Garland Glenn

How This Fits with Your Other Care

The ReCODE Program complements, rather than replaces, your medical care. While conventional treatments may address symptoms, ReCODE focuses on the “why” behind your decline and provides a step-by-step plan to reverse it. Because COVID can also amplify autoimmune, hormonal, and metabolic issues, this integrated approach is especially important for long-COVID recovery.

Get Started at The Carroll Institute

As Sarasota’s only ReCODE-certified Functional Neurology practice, we combine deep root-cause testing with brain-specific rehabilitation. To learn how this applies to you, explore the ReCODE Program and our approach to Functional Neurology. If you’re ready to move from uncertainty to a clear, personalized plan, we’re here to help.

References

• Douaud G. et al. SARS-CoV-2 is associated with changes in brain structure. Nature, 2022.
• Taquet M. et al. Six-month neurological and psychiatric outcomes in COVID-19 survivors. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2022.
• Bredesen DE. Reversal of Cognitive Decline: A Novel Therapeutic Program. Aging, 2014.
• Bredesen DE, Catlin C, et al. Rationale for a Multi-Factorial Approach for the Reversal of Cognitive Decline. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2023.
• Bredesen DE, Hathaway A. Sustained Cognitive Improvement in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients Following a Precision Medicine Program. Biomedicines, 2024.
• Apollo Health. Setting the Record Straight: Yes, Cognitive Decline Can Be Reversed, 2024.

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Medically reviewed by: Dr. Garland Glenn, DC, PhD, AFMC (Advanced Functional Medicine Clinician)

The Carroll Institute — Sarasota, FL

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Educational content only; not a substitute for personalized medical advice.