Editors Choice

The “Fog” Of COVID Is Disturbing and Striking the Young and Old

One thing seems to be sure, and that is that the hallmark of long-term COVID survival may be a form of cognitive decline. That doesn’t mean impending dementia, but a loss of sharpness in what is now referred to as the “fog” of COVID.

According to a Current Population Survey of Americans, there were less than 15 million people in the United States aged 18 to 64 who had some form of handicap at the beginning of the year 2020. By September 2023, that number had risen to almost 16.5 million. And nearly two-thirds of those adding to the total had previously unreported restrictions on their cognitive abilities.

A prime factor in the increase in people with a cognitive disability appears to be COVID-19, and while the vast majority of people who contract it make full recoveries, some people who contract the virus continue to experience symptoms months or even years after the initial infection. The puzzle for scientists is what is causing this brain fog of cognitive impairment and what might be done to remediate it.

Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (i.e., symptoms continuing for at least 4 weeks after infection), also known as protracted COVID, include fatigue and cognitive impairment, along with other enduring neuropsychiatric (e.g., depression) and physical (e.g., dyspnea) manifestations. Working memory fluctuations would appear to be most distressing and may account for increased applications for disability. Note: Disability requires the three factors of maintaining pace, persistence, and concentration (aka PPC), and the memory impairment shown in COVID patients would increase the likelihood of receiving benefits.

For one thing, rigorous data on the incidence of the illness appears to be lacking and we do not know how many people have COVID or how many are suffering its long-lasting effects. As of December 2021, the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus illness around the world had risen to almost 275 million. However, numerous models suggest that the true number of cases is three to twenty-four times higher than the number of confirmed cases.

Researchers have proposed numerous reasons for the changes in cognition and general well-being, including viral persistence, chronic inflammation, hypercoagulability, and autonomic dysfunction. One new hypothesis is being offered for a reduction in a vital neurotransmitter, serotonin. However, most of the work is being evaluated with mouse models.

Certain structures or pathways can lead to changes in memory. One is a drop in serotonin, which can stop the vagus nerve from working properly, which in turn affects how the hippocampus responds and stores memories. The hippocampus is the brain structure most involved in memory consolidation, so anything that interferes with its functioning could result in a change in memory formation and retrieval.

For now, all we know is that there are multiple factors involved in brain fog and fatigue after being infected with the virus for COVID. There are also many physical organ systems that are also affected, so this is a virus, seemingly, unlike others scientists have encountered in the past.

Pat Farrell PhD

I'm a licensed psychologist in NJ/FL and have been in the field for over 30 years serving in most areas of mental health, psychiatry research, consulting, teaching (post-grad), private practice, consultant to WebMD and writing self-help books. Currently, I am concentrating on writing articles and books.

Recent Posts

Nurse Practitioners Critical in Treating Older Adults as Ranks of Geriatricians Shrink

[By Jariel Arvin June 18, 2025 KFF Health News Original - Reprinted with Permission] On Fridays, Stephanie Johnson…

2 days ago

Why Scientists Want You to Use Your Other Hand

When my mother entered elementary school, she was left-handed, but the school viewed that as…

2 days ago

Can Blueberries Save You From Burnout?

“Can food really undo burnout?” a reader recently asked me. It’s a brilliant question —…

2 days ago

Biotech Without Borders: Reclaiming the Wonder of Science in a Distracted Age

I was in the media bullpen with the team when the future arrived. The launch…

5 days ago

AI-Powered Obesity Care: FlyteHealth Delivers Big Wins for Connecticut’s Public Employees

In an era where access to effective obesity care remains mired in controversy over medication…

6 days ago

BIO – Biotech Without Borders

This year’s gathering in Boston—a city long synonymous with health innovation—welcomed more than 20,000 attendees…

7 days ago

This website uses cookies. Your continued use of the site is subject to the acceptance of these cookies. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for more information.

Read More