Friday – 2 Ramadan 1444 A.H. – March 24, 2023 A.D. Issue Number [16187]
Riyadh: Dr. Abeer Mubarak
According to Cleveland Clinic physicians and other medical sources, many common medical conditions are suggested as causes of brain fog. But the most important thing in that long list:
1. COVID-19. A recent study from the University of Edinburgh reported that the term brain fog is now often used to describe persistent cognitive symptoms post-COVID-19. However, research has not yielded a single direct pathophysiological mechanism that explains this condition. After covid-19.
And doctors at the Cleveland Clinic say, “Brain fog has gained fame thanks to Covid-19 and its related symptoms. In fact, brain fog is one of the top three symptoms that is mentioned most often by those who experience prolonged symptoms or delayed symptoms for weeks, sometimes months, following the initial infection.
“People who have been in the intensive care unit or need more severe forms of treatment tend to experience more brain fog,” notes Dr. Krishnan. The problem, she points out, “is that these people who have recovered from Covid-19 often also experience other symptoms that can lead to brain fog. This includes sleep problems, increased stress or disturbances in mood levels, or a significant change in their diet or nutrition. All of these factors can also contribute to brain fog.”
2. Depression and anxiety. The relationship of depression and anxiety on the one hand with brain fog on the other hand is a kind of question that says: Who came first and caused the last, the chicken or the egg? As Dr. Krishnan describes it. Because one can often lead to the other and vice versa.
One of the common reasons for this may be neuroinflammation caused by the constant activation of the pituitary effect on the adrenal gland, and the increased secretion of stress hormones. “This is your body’s fight-or-flight response,” explains Dr. Krishnan. And if your body is in a constant level of activating stress in confrontation, it can have negative side effects, manifesting as depression or anxiety in response to the inflammatory state.”
3. Types of medicines. “Many medications can cause brain fog as a side effect,” explains Dr. Colleen Doherty, a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Headache Association. Examples of these drugs include:
Sleep aids, such as zolpidem or diphenhydramine, for allergies and to make it easier to fall asleep. Antidepressants such as amitriptyline. Opioid analgesics. Anti-anxiety medications, such as alprazolam (Xanax). Anticonvulsant epilepsy medications.
4. Food allergy. Food allergy and the effect of eating some of them is a reason that some people rarely pay attention to, although it is known that the effect of eating some types of foods or overeating a meal is in a “temporary” state of brain fog, inability to think, and the desire to relax. Like what happens to some people following eating a plate of beans or following eating a hearty meal.
Cleveland Clinic doctors say: “Certain food sensitivities can also trigger brain fog or an associated inflammatory response. For example, in the case of some digestive allergies, people often complain of feeling foggy, due to their gluten sensitivity.”
5. Immune disorders. Dr. Colleen Doherty mentioned examples of medical diagnoses associated with brain fog, such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), in which patients experience constant and often incapacitating fatigue, unrefreshing sleep, and cognitive problems with mental awareness. Fibromyalgia also causes widespread muscle pain, as well as problems with mood, sleep and cognition. Brain fog can also be caused by autoimmune diseases.
Such as rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s Syndrome, and Hashimoto’s Disease (the main cause of hypothyroidism). As well as in a number of neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). And also types of digestive disorders related to immune disorders, such as Celiac Disease.
Brain fog…a common description that seeks a medical definition
