What is COVID Brain Fog?
Among the millions of people who caught COVID-19, many experienced strange, lingering effects oftentimes months afterward that caused confusion and worry. COVID-19 brain fog in particular – a form of cognitive impairment or “mental fog” that patients experience after getting COVID-19 that could be prolonged for days, weeks or even months. It remains one of the most common symptoms of long-haul COVID, which affects patients both in the short and long-term.
What is Brain Fog?
Brain fog refers to having a foggy or cloudy mental state. Rather than a diagnosis itself, the condition refers to a collection of neurocognitive symptoms that affect cognitive function. Those with brain fog may describe it as feeling “mentally cloudy or foggy” and it can prohibit people from performing their normal daily tasks while staying sharp.
COVID-19 brain fog refers to experiencing symptoms of brain fog that are the direct result of getting the COVID-19 infection, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It often presents itself months after the initial illness, however, patients may experience it earlier on, even when they show very little other COVID “cold and flu” symptoms.
What is COVID-19 Brain Fog?
COVID Brain Fog Symptoms
Brain fog is one of the most common COVID symptoms affecting a significant portion of long COVID-19 patients, impacting their quality of life. Brain fog doesn’t just affect one’s cognitive functioning in terms of focus and memory: many patients have experienced anxiety, depression and insomnia due to the decreased amount of serotonin levels that keep things moving smoothly.
Brain fog is an elusive set of post-covid symptoms and can be hard to diagnose, but typically patients experience trouble focusing or memory issues, mental fatigue, headaches, lightheadedness, changes to smell and taste, and even language issues. Patients report a “foggy thinking” feeling or excessive mental dysfunction, have difficulty concentrating, language issues, PTSD, anxiety, or depression.
What is COVID Brain Fog?
Other COVID-19 brain fog symptoms include:
Difficulty concentrating or focusing
Forgetfulness
Feeling mentally sluggish or difficulty processing information
Experiencing a slower decision-making process
Mental fatigue/exhaustion
Headaches
Addressing Brain Fog in Long COVID Patients
Those with Long COVID, also known as Long-haul COVID or Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) have new, returning or ongoing health problems as a result of getting COVID-19 that typically present themselves weeks to months after the initial illness. Symptoms can last for weeks, months or even years in some cases, and it’s estimated that 10-30% of people who get COVID have long-term symptoms – even if they didn’t experience any symptoms at the onset of the virus. When it comes to brain fog, it’s estimated that 20-30% of people have some kind of cognitive impairment issue several months after getting COVID-19.
There are many theories as to why this is: a new study supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute, found that COVID-19 may live in the patient’s gut far after the infection, which could cause changes in the gut microbiome, linked directly to changes in cognitive function. This depletes serotonin, which is responsible for carrying messages to nerve connections in the brain and helps with memory storage, food digestion and sexual desire, for example. The drop in serotonin, researchers found, began at the onset of the COVID-19 disease. Some go so far as to say that long COVID-19 causes more than just “brain fog”, but more serious cognitive impairment, with symptoms including: decreased memory and attention, sleep disorders, abnormal results in neuropsychological tests that show declined working memory, language expression and executive functioning.
Impact of Long COVID and Associated Cognitive Symptoms
The severity, duration and health issues that persist vary from patient to patient, and some research suggests long COVID brain fog could be influenced by other factors such as blood vessel dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, and gut microbiome disruptions. The CDC states that most recover within three months, but many still experience symptoms far longer. Factors such as age, the severity of the infection at the onset of illness, individual health status, and access to healthcare can all play a role, as well. Research is still being done on effective treatments and there’s not a black-and-white way to look at this.
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FAQ & Additional Details
What is COVID brain fog?
COVID-19 brain fog refers to experiencing symptoms of brain fog that are the direct result of getting the COVID-19 infection. It often presents itself months after the initial illness, and patients report a “foggy thinking” feeling, experience memory problems, have difficulty concentrating, or have excessive mental dysfunction, language issues, PTSD, anxiety or depression.
How can you address brain fog and other long COVID symptoms?
Researchers are actively exploring new and innovative treatment options for long COVID. While much is still being investigated, proven and promising therapies include cognitive rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapy, and strategies to reduce inflammation in the body. Additionally, our specialized providers at Forum Health are pioneering personalized, cutting-edge approaches for long COVID management. our focus is on identifying the root causes of your symptoms and creating a personalized plan that may include:
Forum Health's specialists prioritize addressing:
- Inflammation reduction: Strategies to calm damaging inflammatory processes.
- Autoimmune dysregulation: Balancing the immune response for optimal health.
- Viral reactivation: Targeting any lingering viruses that may be contributing to symptoms
- Mitochondrial support: Boosting cellular energy production.
- Autophagy: Promoting the body's natural cellular cleanup and repair mechanisms.
- Brain health: Therapies aimed towards restoring cognitive function.
How long does brain fog last after COVID?
Every case is different and depends on the severity of the infection, health status and age of the patient. Typically, brain fog may last for up to months or in some cases, years after the illness. A study published in Frontiers in Neurology found that brain fog persisted in 34% of patients at 6 months and 22% at 12 months after initially getting COVID-19.
How to get rid of COVID brain fog?
It’s important to be patient with yourself during the process of lingering Long COVID symptoms. Treatments are listed above under ‘How to treat brain fog from COVID’, from cutting-edge, non-invasive neurological therapies to physical therapies and lifestyle shifts. Boosting overall health and cognitive exercises will certainly help. It’s important to consult your doctor as well.
IS COVID brain fog permanent?
There is no definitive answer as to whether COVID brain fog is permanent, and it depends on the length and severity on a case-by-case basis. However, a 2022 study reported the average time was 14.8 months, however some may experience it for much shorter periods or longer periods. Research is still being done.
How to clear COVID brain fog?
It’s important to be patient with yourself during the process of lingering Long COVID symptoms. Treatments are listed above under ‘How to treat brain fog from COVID’, from cutting-edge, non-invasive neurological therapies to physical therapies and lifestyle shifts. Boosting overall health and cognitive exercises will certainly help. It’s important to consult your doctor as well.
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