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Published on: 4/28/2025

What Are the Common Symptoms Associated with Brain Fog?

Brain fog is when someone has trouble thinking clearly, remembering things, or staying focused. It can feel like your brain is moving slowly or like it’s wrapped in a thick cloud.

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Explanation

Many people with brain fog report that it makes it hard for them to think as fast or as clearly as usual. Some of the common symptoms include difficulty concentrating, so sticking with a conversation or a task becomes really challenging. People also mention problems with their memory, like forgetting simple things or having trouble recalling recent events. Other common symptoms are slow thinking and confusion, which can make decision‑making harder than before. Sometimes, individuals feel overwhelmed if they try to process too much information at once, and their thoughts might seem fuzzy or disorganized. Some studies that looked at people with brain fog, especially after illnesses like COVID‑19, have noted that these symptoms can vary from one person to another. What remains common is the feeling that your mind isn’t operating as smoothly as it did before. This condition, called “brain fog,” is not a disease on its own but a set of symptoms that can impact daily life, prompting many to seek ways to better manage their mental clarity.

(References)

  • Aghajani Mir M. Brain Fog: a Narrative Review of the Most Common Mysterious Cognitive Disorder in COVID-19. Mol Neurobiol. 2024 Dec;61(12):9915-9926. doi: 10.1007/s12035-023-03715-y. Epub 2023 Oct 24. PMID: 37874482.

  • Alim-Marvasti A, Ciocca M, Kuleindiren N, Lin A, Selim H, Mahmud M. Subjective brain fog: a four-dimensional characterization in 25,796 participants. Front Hum Neurosci. 2024 Jun 6;18:1409250. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1409250. PMID: 38911226; PMCID: PMC11191638.

  • Jennings G, Monaghan A, Xue F, Duggan E, Romero-Ortuño R. Comprehensive Clinical Characterisation of Brain Fog in Adults Reporting Long COVID Symptoms. J Clin Med. 2022 Jun 15;11(12):3440. doi: 10.3390/jcm11123440. PMID: 35743516; PMCID: PMC9224578.

  • Gorenshtein, A., Liba, T., Leibovitch, L. _et al._ Intervention modalities for brain fog caused by long-COVID: systematic review of the literature. _Neurol Sci_ 45, 2951–2968 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-024-07566-w

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