Do You Feel Like You Have “Brain Fog” After the Pandemic?

Research has found that some adults report “brain fog” after contracting COVID-19 (Asadi-Pooya et al., 2022). Brain fog is an experience of feeling confused or “out of it,” mental slowness, or difficulty concentrating or remembering. Objective testing of mental functions also finds evidence for brain fog in patients who have recovered from COVID-19, including slightly worse performance in terms of memory and time management. Brain fog is even found among individuals who experience asymptomatic or mild cases of COVID-19. Although concerning, these experiences of brain fog seem to be temporary as research finds that affected mental functions are back to normal after 6 to 9 months. Researchers believe that brain fog is caused by inflammation in the brain.

Noninfected Individuals

A recent study found that even some individuals who never contracted COVID-19 may also show signs of “brain fog,” possibly due to stress or disruptions caused by the pandemic. Specifically, the researchers found that some individuals with confirmed negative antibody tests show increased inflammation in the brain that is associated with mental fatigue

This study, which will be published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity in May 2022, was conducted by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. To understand the neurological impact of the pandemic, the researchers compared 57 brain-imaging data sets from before the pandemic and 15 brain-imaging data sets from during the pandemic (after March 2020). All participants during the pandemic had confirmed negative antibody tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The researchers found that participants during the pandemic who had never contracted COVID-19 showed higher levels of two markers for brain inflammation (translocator protein and myoinositol) when compared with participants from before the pandemic. They also found higher levels of two inflammatory markers in the blood (interleukin-16 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) in the participants after the pandemic. Higher levels of translator protein were particularly found for participants who reported more symptoms of anxiety and depression and mental and physical fatigue during the pandemic. The authors suggested that individuals who never contracted COVID-19 may show increased brain inflammation due to the stress of the pandemic as chronic stress is associated with increased inflammation in the brain.

Preventing Brain Fog

So, how do you prevent the experience of brain fog either related to COVID-19 infection or the stress of the pandemic? Researchers have suggested that improving overall brain health may improve resilience to these possible stressors to the nervous system. A recent review study provided five ways to improve baseline brain health:

1. Exercise: Make an effort to exercise every day if possible, even if you are just going for a brief walk.
2. Cognitive stimulation: Keep your brain active through reading, taking courses, crossword puzzles, math problems, or creating art.
3. Sleep: Aim to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night and stick to a regular sleep schedule.
4. Diet: Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet.
5. Social connection: Maintain a supportive social network by prioritizing relationships with friends and family.

In summary, research suggests that some individuals during the pandemic may experience brain fog as a result of either COVID-19 infection or the stress of the pandemic. This is particularly relevant for parents of young children as this demographic has experienced significant stress during the pandemic, However, it is important to note that brain fog typically involves very mild and temporary symptoms and that improving your brain health may mitigate any negative impacts of the pandemic on your brain.