Cases of brain fog linked to Covid-19 rise in Bengaluru: Here's why

Bengaluru, Jun 07: While the possibility of a fourth wave of COVID-19 in India is still being studied, cases of a debilitating post-Covid complication, 'brain fog', are already being reported among survivors.

According to a report in Times of India, Bengaluru doctors are seeing an increase in brain fog among patients who have recovered from Covid-19.

Speaking to the newspaper, Tejas Bafna, a businessman recalled his inability to remember the names of his closest friends following his bout with Covid-19.

Dr Aditya Chowti, senior consultant- internal medicine, Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road said,''Apart from brain fog, those who have recovered from Covid-19 are also displaying symptoms of fatigue, body ache, lethargy, and loss of concentration.''

What is brain fog?
Let's start by trying to understand brain fog. Brain fog is not a medical or scientific term; it is used by individuals to describe how they feel when their thinking is sluggish, fuzzy, and not sharp.

Thoughts and emotions may feel numb, and everyday activities may seem to require more effort.

Some people describe it as a foggy haze that makes it harder to access their thoughts or plan ahead.

Symptoms of brain fog

• feeling "spacy" or confused
• feeling fatigued
• thinking more slowly than usual, and needing more time to complete simple tasks
• being easily distracted
• having trouble organizing thoughts or activities
• forgetfulness, such as forgetting daily tasks or losing a train of thought
• word-finding difficulties

What is COVID-19 associated brain fog?

You can think of the brain fog as a networking problem, with communication between the various parts of the brain becoming compromised by either direct injury from the virus itself or from immune system overactivation that leaves a simmering but gradually fading inflammation behind in the brain. A COVID-19 infection and its inflammatory aftermath jolt the intricately coordinated neural networks in the brain and disrupt the flow of information. Imagine a fleet of delivery trucks suddenly losing their central dispatch - the packages will probably still be delivered but perhaps not in the most efficient way. In real life situations, it might take you more repetitions to remember a person's name or a new phone number than it did before, or you forget about assignments and appointments more now than before the infection. The information probably gets there eventually, but not as reliably as before the virus disrupted the network.

What are the treatment for brain fog?

• Perform aerobic exercise perhaps just two to three minutes a few times a day.
• A healthy diet including olive oil, fruits and vegetables, nuts and beans, and whole grains has been proven to improve thinking, memory and brain health.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs.
• Getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, and remaining nourished may also help reduce the risk of brain fog
• Sleep well.
• Participate in social activities
• Pursue other beneficial activities, including engaging in novel, cognitively stimulating activities; listening to music; practicing mindfulness; and keeping a positive mental attitude.