Sometimes brain fog may be hard to diagnose because it is caused by several different factors, even for a patient who has one overarching condition. But because brain fog can present in so many different ways, and because it has so many different causes, the diagnostic tests have their limitations, she added. Joanna Hellmuth, a neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco. You may have some days that are worse than others, but brain fog tends to impair your cognitive function to the same extent each time.Ī variety of blood tests can also help point to some causes of cognitive impairment, such as sleep apnea, vitamin B deficiency or other hormone and thyroid issues, said Dr. The key difference is that brain fog does not get progressively worse the way mental abilities degenerate with dementia. Many clinicians prefer to use the term “cognitive impairment” to lend more medical legitimacy to what patients go through, and start the diagnostic process with cognitive exams used to measure executive function in severe illnesses like dementia, Dr. “When executive function is impaired, it will often impact several domains of cognitive ability,” Dr. Brain fog tends to affect executive function - a set of skills that are essential for planning, organizing information, following directions and multitasking, among other things. “And then there are other people who are just completely disabled by this.” How is it diagnosed?Īlthough brain fog sounds vague and temporary, like bad weather that will clear over time, research is beginning to show that it can affect some people for months and take over many aspects of life, compared to run-of-the-mill sluggishness or forgetfulness. “There are some people who are able to carry on with their jobs and their regular lives, but they may need to take more frequent breaks between tasks,” Dr. But if your symptoms persist over several weeks or make life agonizingly difficult, you should seek a medical evaluation. The cognitive issues may wax and wane - in Covid-related brain fog as well as other types, said Jacqueline Becker, a clinical neuropsychologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. government’s response to Covid - and now to monkeypox.īrain fog can be frustrating and worrisome no matter when or how you get it.
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