We’ve come a long way since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020. However, the far-reaching impact of the virus on health among survivors is only beginning to be understood….
For an estimated 37% of Americans who survived acute infection—including mild and asymptomatic cases—the impacts of COVID continue as they experience new and returning health issues weeks, months, and sometimes years after the infection has passed. Commonly called long COVID, the symptoms can be life-altering.
Cognitive dysfunction or “brain fog” is often the most common issue after fatigue and affects roughly 70% of those with long COVID. CLICK TO TWEET
Although it’s well-known that COVID attacks the respiratory system, it may be a surprise to learn that COVID also impacts the brain and nervous system. In fact, researchers have noted a number of changes to the brain and nervous system post-infection that are likely contributing to a cluster of symptoms called “brain fog.”
WHAT IS COVID BRAIN FOG?
COVID brain fog refers to the slower thinking or mental processing, confusion, memory issues, difficulty with concentration and focus, and overall compromised cognition present in long COVID patients. It has been difficult for scientists to accurately assess its prevalence, but one of the most recent studies on the subject titled “Cognitive and Memory Deficits in Long COVID” states that cognitive dysfunction or “brain fog” is often the most common issue after fatigue and affects roughly 70% of those with long COVID.
Here’s what we know about the effects of long COVID on your brain, and more importantly, what can be done to minimize brain fog.
HOW COVID AFFECTS THE BRAIN
Medical researchers have been studying long COVID since 2020 in an effort to understand more clearly how the virus continues to impact overall health. Some recent studies have documented several changes in the brains of COVID patients after acute infection—as well as evidence of immune and inflammatory responses in the nervous system that likely impact cognition.
It is believed that the COVID-19 virus crosses the blood-brain barrier by entering the nasal passage and traveling up the olfactory nerve directly to the brain where it can cause neural damage. One of the largest COVID-19 brain imaging studies to date reveals a number of brain-related changes that provide possible explanations for brain fog and compromised cognition. Comparing before and after COVID infection brain scans, the study revealed several changes:
- Loss of gray matter thickness in areas related to smell
- Tissue damage in areas that are connected to the primary olfactory cortex (also linked to smell)
- Reduction of whole brain volume
- Atrophy of a specific part of the brain’s cerebellum, which is linked to cognition
In all, researchers noted that the reductions ranged from .2 to 2%. That doesn’t sound like much, but some experts estimate that a 2% reduction in brain volume is equivalent to 10 years of aging!
Indeed, a March 2022 JAMA Neurology cohort study that followed the one-year trajectory of older (60 years and older) COVID-19 survivors concluded that “COVID-19 survival was associated with an increase in the risk of longitudinal cognitive decline.”
A recent report documented research presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) annual meeting held in May 2022. The research found that people who had mild cases of COVID-19 and experienced persistent cognitive issues had higher levels of immune activation and immunovascular markers in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) nearly a year after acute infection.
Dr. Joanna Hellmuth of the University of California, San Francisco, who headed the study, suggested that the findings imply that ongoing vascular injury/repair in the brain may trigger the overactive immune response and inflammation, which may be driving cognitive changes and the brain fog experienced in long COVID.
Interestingly, it’s noted that the same researchers, in published findings from earlier in 2022, found abnormalities in the CSF of a whopping 77% of patients with cognitive impairment post-COVID.
At Amen Clinics, before-and-after COVID brain scans show increased activity in the limbic system in COVID survivors. Overactivity in this region is associated with depression, which causes a range of symptoms including brain fog.
THERAPIES FOR COVID BRAIN FOG
Living with forgetfulness, difficulty focusing, and slower processing of information is difficult. There are a couple of therapies being used to address cognitive dysfunction resulting from long COVID. It’s not clear if these therapies are now widely available, but if you suffer from brain fog, it is worth investigating them.
The first therapy is called non-invasive brain microcurrent stimulation therapy. In one recent study, German researchers applied alternating current stimulation to the eyes and brain. They also completed cognitive assessments before and after the therapy and found markedly improved cognition—as much as 40-60% in one patient.
Another strategy involves a certain type of learning therapy, according to a news report. The patient repeats information a certain number of times without error, which helps the brain to rebuild its memory skills that were compromised by the infection. The therapy makes use of neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to grow and strengthen its neural networks, which is kind of like working muscles in the body.
In addition to specific therapies to improve cognition, it is important to take a whole-person approach to treat COVID brain fog. Brain SPECT imaging, neuropsychological testing, lab work, and lifestyle changes are critical pieces of a cognitive function or memory evaluation.
7 WAYS TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION AND BRAIN FOG
Since inflammation is so closely associated with long COVID symptoms and brain fog, in particular, taking steps to quell the inflammation in your body may help to promote healing and reduce brain fog. Here are 7 ways to reduce inflammation:
- Eat lots of prebiotic foods such as apples, unripe bananas, beans, cabbage, artichokes, asparagus, and root vegetables. Prebiotic foods help to feed the good bacteria in your gut, which supports a healthy microbiome. A leaky gut, or a porous lining in your gastrointestinal tract, can increase inflammation in the body. Also, your gut is lined with neurons that communicate with your brain. Consuming prebiotics helps to support a healthy gut-brain connection.
- To further promote gut health, increase your consumption of probiotics by taking supplements or enjoying probiotic-rich fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, kombucha tea, and pickled fruits and veggies.
- Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet by consuming fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and herring, or with a quality omega-3 supplement. Your brain needs the DHA and EPA found in the fish oil to fuel neuroplasticity. These fats also help to quell inflammation in the body as they allow cells to work more efficiently.
- Avoid consuming foods that increase inflammation such as alcohol, sugar and refined grains, processed meats, and unhealthy fats (saturated or trans-fats).
- Floss and brush daily. You must take good care of your gums. Gum disease can increase inflammation.
- Promote calm in your life by taking downtime, practicing mindfulness, meditation, prayer, and spending time in nature. It’s essential to keep stress levels down as stress is inflammatory.
- Exercise daily, but not too much. Regular exercise is excellent for the brain but too much can increase inflammation.
Although more will be discovered as researchers continue to learn more about how COVID affects the brain, taking any of these actions now will help to support your brain health and cognition.
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