How Prevalent Is Brain Fog Among COVID-19 Survivors?

Reviewed by Suo Lee, MD

Internal Medicine

Research shows that brain fog is a common problem for people after COVID-19, with studies reporting that a good number of survivors experience issues with memory and concentration.

Explanation

Many studies have looked at brain fog in people who have had COVID-19. Brain fog means having a hard time thinking clearly, remembering things, or focusing. One study noted that a sizeable percentage of survivors—sometimes around one in five or more—reported brain fog after their infection. In other words, about 20% or more of COVID-19 survivors have trouble with attention and memory after getting better from the virus. Other research, especially among those who had to go to the hospital, tells us that brain fog and similar problems like difficulty with concentration and memory loss can stick around for a while. One study even followed patients over time to see how these symptoms changed and found that they gradually improved but were present for months in some cases. Overall, while the exact numbers can vary from study to study, brain fog is a common issue that many COVID-19 survivors face. This means that if someone is having trouble thinking clearly after COVID-19, they are not alone.

(References)

Nouraeinejad A. Brain fog as a Long-term Sequela of COVID-19. SN Compr Clin Med. 2023;5(1):9. doi: 10.1007/s42399-022-01352-5. Epub 2022 Nov 24. PMID: 36466122; PMCID: PMC9685075.
Asadi-Pooya AA, Akbari A, Emami A, Lotfi M, Rostamihosseinkhani M, Nemati H, Barzegar Z, Kabiri M, Zeraatpisheh Z, Farjoud-Kouhanjani M, Jafari A, Sasannia S, Ashrafi S, Nazeri M, Nasiri S, Shahisavandi M. Long COVID syndrome-associated brain fog. J Med Virol. 2022 Mar;94(3):979-984. doi: 10.1002/jmv.27404. Epub 2021 Oct 24. PMID: 34672377; PMCID: PMC8662118.
Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, Cancela-Cilleruelo I, Rodríguez-Jiménez J, Arias-Navalón JA, Martín-Guerrero JD, Pellicer-Valero OJ, Arendt-Nielsen L, Cigarán-Méndez M. Trajectory of post-COVID brain fog, memory loss, and concentration loss in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors: the LONG-COVID-EXP multicenter study. Front Hum Neurosci. 2023 Nov 9;17:1259660. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1259660. PMID: 38021227; PMCID: PMC10665893.

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