Vascular endothelial growth factor markers were also higher in these people, with some measures specific to people who experienced cognitive changes soon after being infected. Brain fog is a common after-effect of COVID-19, affecting some 67 percent of 156 patients at a post-COVID clinic in New York, a study published this month shows. People with persistent cognitive problems after mild COVID-19 had higher levels of two inflammatory markers in their spinal fluid - C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A - compared with those who had COVID-19 and no cognitive symptoms, Hellmuth and co-authors reported. Joanna Hellmuth, of the University of California, San Francisco, found an "inflammatory signature" in the cerebrospinal fluid of 13 people who had lingering cognitive problems 10 months after they had their first COVID-19 symptoms. In preliminary work that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, researchers led by Dr. Therapy or antidepressants may help ease brain fog, as well as other symptoms.New research published Friday suggests that an over-stimulated immune system - possibly triggered by ongoing vascular injury and repair - may be behind persistent post-COVID cognitive changes. People who have depression can develop brain fog that affects memory and lasts for months or years, Tan says. Consider relying on lists instead of your memory, for example, and try to avoid multitasking until you feel better.Īddress mental health.
Take steps to put less stress on your memory, Tan says. Trying to exercise solo can be risky in this case, Diaz-Arrastia says, and can exacerbate long-COVID symptoms. Someone with severe brain fog should work with a physical therapist, however. los angeles fiery car crash co owning a house with sibling. For those who are able to do aerobic exercise, there’s good evidence that it may help clear mental fogginess. That means having a consistent bedtime sleeping in a cool, dark room and avoiding screens for an hour before bed.Įxercise. Practicing good sleep hygiene may help, Flanagan says. An episode of jet lag can cause short-lived brain fog, but people with chronic sleep problems can experience this consistently. But ask your doctor before stopping meds. Those can include tranquilizers, as well as pills used to treat insomnia. Tan says one of the first things to do is cut back on alcohol and try to eliminate unnecessary medications, especially any drugs known to leave people feeling foggy.
Here are some other strategies that doctors might suggest to help ease brain fog. That might lead to therapy to identify cognitive strengths that can compensate for impairment. Your provider may refer you to a neuropsychologist for a formal cognitive assessment. So your initial step should be consulting a physician and explaining your symptoms. Many experts think the cause could also be inflammation lingering in the brain after COVID-19 or head trauma, Flanagan says.ĭiaz-Arrastia says that potential solutions will depend on the exact nature of someone’s brain fog and how it’s affecting their daily life. And in many cases, stress or anxiety could exacerbate symptoms. Damage to the small blood vessels around the brain could potentially play a role, he says. The exact biological causes of brain fog aren’t clear, says Ramon Diaz-Arrastia, MD, PhD, director of the Traumatic Brain Injury Clinical Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and a member of the American Neurological Association. And brain fog is distinct from dementia, which is a progressive condition. But factors associated with aging could increase the risk of brain fog, such as taking multiple meds. While it’s not uncommon for the retrieval of information to get a bit slower with age-taking longer to recall a name, for example-what doctors consider brain fog tends to come on more abruptly and is often linked to a specific event, such as a head injury or COVID-19. Brain fog differs from cognitive changes that can occur with age, Flanagan and other experts say.
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