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Brain fog

MedGen UID:
5131
Concept ID:
C0015676
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonyms: Brain Fog; Cognitive Exhaustion; Cognitive Exhaustions; Cognitive Weariness; Cognitive Wearinesses; Exhaustion, Cognitive; Fatigue, Mental; Fog, Brain; Fog, Mental; Mental Fatigue; Mental Fog; Weariness, Cognitive
 
HPO: HP:0033630

Definition

Brain fog is a type of transient cognitive dysfunction that comprises a constellation of symptoms that impair intellectual functioning to a level that interferes with daily activities, commonly including forgetfulness, mental slowness, difficulty thinking or focusing, a perceived slowing of mental processing speed, inability to find the right words, a sensation that the mind went blank or is "cloudy". Brain fog tends to recur and may be triggered by factors such as physical fatigue, lack of sleep, and prolonged standing or may appear to occur spontaneously. [from HPO]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Chepke C, Benca RM, Cutler AJ, Krystal AD, Watson NF
J Clin Psychiatry 2025 Jun 2;86(3) doi: 10.4088/JCP.24nr15718. PMID: 40488724
Cheng AL, Herman E, Abramoff B, Anderson JR, Azola A, Baratta JM, Bartels MN, Bhavaraju-Sanka R, Blitshteyn S, Fine JS, Fleming TK, Verduzco-Gutierrez M, Herrera JE, Karnik R, Kurylo M, Longo MT, McCauley MD, Melamed E, Miglis MG, Neal JD, Oleson CV, Putrino D, Rydberg L, Silver JK, Terzic CM, Whiteson JH, Niehaus WN
PM R 2025 Jun;17(6):684-708. Epub 2025 Apr 22 doi: 10.1002/pmrj.13397. PMID: 40261198Free PMC Article
Fedorowski A
J Intern Med 2019 Apr;285(4):352-366. Epub 2018 Nov 23 doi: 10.1111/joim.12852. PMID: 30372565

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Maki PM, Jaff NG
Menopause 2024 Jul 1;31(7):647-649. Epub 2024 Jun 17 doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002382. PMID: 38888619
Julide T, Cigdem T, Baris T
Ideggyogy Sz 2024 May 30;77(5-6):151-159. doi: 10.18071/isz.77.0151. PMID: 38829253
Tamariz L, Bast E, Klimas N, Palacio A
Clin Ther 2024 Mar;46(3):e101-e106. Epub 2024 Jan 23 doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2023.12.009. PMID: 38267326
Maki PM, Jaff NG
Climacteric 2022 Dec;25(6):570-578. Epub 2022 Sep 30 doi: 10.1080/13697137.2022.2122792. PMID: 36178170
Ceban F, Ling S, Lui LMW, Lee Y, Gill H, Teopiz KM, Rodrigues NB, Subramaniapillai M, Di Vincenzo JD, Cao B, Lin K, Mansur RB, Ho RC, Rosenblat JD, Miskowiak KW, Vinberg M, Maletic V, McIntyre RS
Brain Behav Immun 2022 Mar;101:93-135. Epub 2021 Dec 29 doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.12.020. PMID: 34973396Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Julide T, Cigdem T, Baris T
Ideggyogy Sz 2024 May 30;77(5-6):151-159. doi: 10.18071/isz.77.0151. PMID: 38829253
Tamariz L, Bast E, Klimas N, Palacio A
Clin Ther 2024 Mar;46(3):e101-e106. Epub 2024 Jan 23 doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2023.12.009. PMID: 38267326
Sebastian SA, Co EL, Panthangi V, Jain E, Ishak A, Shah Y, Vasavada A, Padda I
Curr Probl Cardiol 2022 Dec;47(12):101384. Epub 2022 Aug 31 doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2022.101384. PMID: 36055438
Ceban F, Ling S, Lui LMW, Lee Y, Gill H, Teopiz KM, Rodrigues NB, Subramaniapillai M, Di Vincenzo JD, Cao B, Lin K, Mansur RB, Ho RC, Rosenblat JD, Miskowiak KW, Vinberg M, Maletic V, McIntyre RS
Brain Behav Immun 2022 Mar;101:93-135. Epub 2021 Dec 29 doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.12.020. PMID: 34973396Free PMC Article
Fedorowski A
J Intern Med 2019 Apr;285(4):352-366. Epub 2018 Nov 23 doi: 10.1111/joim.12852. PMID: 30372565

Therapy

McIntyre CW, Jain A
Nat Rev Nephrol 2025 Aug;21(8):553-564. Epub 2025 Apr 24 doi: 10.1038/s41581-025-00960-3. PMID: 40275017
Tamariz L, Bast E, Klimas N, Palacio A
Clin Ther 2024 Mar;46(3):e101-e106. Epub 2024 Jan 23 doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2023.12.009. PMID: 38267326
Sebastian SA, Co EL, Panthangi V, Jain E, Ishak A, Shah Y, Vasavada A, Padda I
Curr Probl Cardiol 2022 Dec;47(12):101384. Epub 2022 Aug 31 doi: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2022.101384. PMID: 36055438
Ceban F, Ling S, Lui LMW, Lee Y, Gill H, Teopiz KM, Rodrigues NB, Subramaniapillai M, Di Vincenzo JD, Cao B, Lin K, Mansur RB, Ho RC, Rosenblat JD, Miskowiak KW, Vinberg M, Maletic V, McIntyre RS
Brain Behav Immun 2022 Mar;101:93-135. Epub 2021 Dec 29 doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.12.020. PMID: 34973396Free PMC Article
Fedorowski A
J Intern Med 2019 Apr;285(4):352-366. Epub 2018 Nov 23 doi: 10.1111/joim.12852. PMID: 30372565

Prognosis

Yong SJ, Kenny TA, Halim A, Munipalli B, Alhashem YN, AlSaihati H, Al-Subaie MF, Al Kaabi NA, Al Fares MA, Garout M, Sabour AA, Alshiekheid MA, Almansour ZH, Alotaibi J, Alrasheed HA, Alamri AA, Albayat H, Alamodi AS, Tombuloglu H, Mohapatra RK, Hazazi A, Rabaan AA
Rev Med Virol 2025 Sep;35(5):e70070. doi: 10.1002/rmv.70070. PMID: 40944962
Ryu JK, Yan Z, Montano M, Sozmen EG, Dixit K, Suryawanshi RK, Matsui Y, Helmy E, Kaushal P, Makanani SK, Deerinck TJ, Meyer-Franke A, Rios Coronado PE, Trevino TN, Shin MG, Tognatta R, Liu Y, Schuck R, Le L, Miyajima H, Mendiola AS, Arun N, Guo B, Taha TY, Agrawal A, MacDonald E, Aries O, Yan A, Weaver O, Petersen MA, Meza Acevedo R, Alzamora MDPS, Thomas R, Traglia M, Kouznetsova VL, Tsigelny IF, Pico AR, Red-Horse K, Ellisman MH, Krogan NJ, Bouhaddou M, Ott M, Greene WC, Akassoglou K
Nature 2024 Sep;633(8031):905-913. Epub 2024 Aug 28 doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07873-4. PMID: 39198643Free PMC Article
Harrison PJ, Taquet M
Brain 2023 Jun 1;146(6):2241-2247. doi: 10.1093/brain/awad008. PMID: 36729559Free PMC Article
Fedorowski A
J Intern Med 2019 Apr;285(4):352-366. Epub 2018 Nov 23 doi: 10.1111/joim.12852. PMID: 30372565
Wells R, Spurrier AJ, Linz D, Gallagher C, Mahajan R, Sanders P, Page A, Lau DH
Vasc Health Risk Manag 2018;14:1-11. Epub 2017 Dec 29 doi: 10.2147/VHRM.S127393. PMID: 29343965Free PMC Article

Clinical prediction guides

Yong SJ, Kenny TA, Halim A, Munipalli B, Alhashem YN, AlSaihati H, Al-Subaie MF, Al Kaabi NA, Al Fares MA, Garout M, Sabour AA, Alshiekheid MA, Almansour ZH, Alotaibi J, Alrasheed HA, Alamri AA, Albayat H, Alamodi AS, Tombuloglu H, Mohapatra RK, Hazazi A, Rabaan AA
Rev Med Virol 2025 Sep;35(5):e70070. doi: 10.1002/rmv.70070. PMID: 40944962
Geng LN, Erlandson KM, Hornig M, Letts R, Selvaggi C, Ashktorab H, Atieh O, Bartram L, Brim H, Brosnahan SB, Brown J, Castro M, Charney A, Chen P, Deeks SG, Erdmann N, Flaherman VJ, Ghamloush MA, Goepfert P, Goldman JD, Han JE, Hess R, Hirshberg E, Hoover SE, Katz SD, Kelly JD, Klein JD, Krishnan JA, Lee-Iannotti J, Levitan EB, Marconi VC, Metz TD, Modes ME, Nikolich JŽ, Novak RM, Ofotokun I, Okumura MJ, Parthasarathy S, Patterson TF, Peluso MJ, Poppas A, Quintero Cardona O, Scott J, Shellito J, Sherif ZA, Singer NG, Taylor BS, Thaweethai T, Verduzco-Gutierrez M, Wisnivesky J, McComsey GA, Horwitz LI, Foulkes AS; RECOVER Consortium
JAMA 2025 Feb 25;333(8):694-700. doi: 10.1001/jama.2024.24184. PMID: 39693079Free PMC Article
Ryu JK, Yan Z, Montano M, Sozmen EG, Dixit K, Suryawanshi RK, Matsui Y, Helmy E, Kaushal P, Makanani SK, Deerinck TJ, Meyer-Franke A, Rios Coronado PE, Trevino TN, Shin MG, Tognatta R, Liu Y, Schuck R, Le L, Miyajima H, Mendiola AS, Arun N, Guo B, Taha TY, Agrawal A, MacDonald E, Aries O, Yan A, Weaver O, Petersen MA, Meza Acevedo R, Alzamora MDPS, Thomas R, Traglia M, Kouznetsova VL, Tsigelny IF, Pico AR, Red-Horse K, Ellisman MH, Krogan NJ, Bouhaddou M, Ott M, Greene WC, Akassoglou K
Nature 2024 Sep;633(8031):905-913. Epub 2024 Aug 28 doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07873-4. PMID: 39198643Free PMC Article
Hampshire A, Azor A, Atchison C, Trender W, Hellyer PJ, Giunchiglia V, Husain M, Cooke GS, Cooper E, Lound A, Donnelly CA, Chadeau-Hyam M, Ward H, Elliott P
N Engl J Med 2024 Feb 29;390(9):806-818. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2311330. PMID: 38416429Free PMC Article
Thaweethai T, Jolley SE, Karlson EW, Levitan EB, Levy B, McComsey GA, McCorkell L, Nadkarni GN, Parthasarathy S, Singh U, Walker TA, Selvaggi CA, Shinnick DJ, Schulte CCM, Atchley-Challenner R, Alba GA, Alicic R, Altman N, Anglin K, Argueta U, Ashktorab H, Baslet G, Bassett IV, Bateman L, Bedi B, Bhattacharyya S, Bind MA, Blomkalns AL, Bonilla H, Brim H, Bush PA, Castro M, Chan J, Charney AW, Chen P, Chibnik LB, Chu HY, Clifton RG, Costantine MM, Cribbs SK, Davila Nieves SI, Deeks SG, Duven A, Emery IF, Erdmann N, Erlandson KM, Ernst KC, Farah-Abraham R, Farner CE, Feuerriegel EM, Fleurimont J, Fonseca V, Franko N, Gainer V, Gander JC, Gardner EM, Geng LN, Gibson KS, Go M, Goldman JD, Grebe H, Greenway FL, Habli M, Hafner J, Han JE, Hanson KA, Heath J, Hernandez C, Hess R, Hodder SL, Hoffman MK, Hoover SE, Huang B, Hughes BL, Jagannathan P, John J, Jordan MR, Katz SD, Kaufman ES, Kelly JD, Kelly SW, Kemp MM, Kirwan JP, Klein JD, Knox KS, Krishnan JA, Kumar A, Laiyemo AO, Lambert AA, Lanca M, Lee-Iannotti JK, Logarbo BP, Longo MT, Luciano CA, Lutrick K, Maley JH, Mallett G, Marathe JG, Marconi V, Marshall GD, Martin CF, Matusov Y, Mehari A, Mendez-Figueroa H, Mermelstein R, Metz TD, Morse R, Mosier J, Mouchati C, Mullington J, Murphy SN, Neuman RB, Nikolich JZ, Ofotokun I, Ojemakinde E, Palatnik A, Palomares K, Parimon T, Parry S, Patterson JE, Patterson TF, Patzer RE, Peluso MJ, Pemu P, Pettker CM, Plunkett BA, Pogreba-Brown K, Poppas A, Quigley JG, Reddy U, Reece R, Reeder H, Reeves WB, Reiman EM, Rischard F, Rosand J, Rouse DJ, Ruff A, Saade G, Sandoval GJ, Santana JL, Schlater SM, Sciurba FC, Shepherd F, Sherif ZA, Simhan H, Singer NG, Skupski DW, Sowles A, Sparks JA, Sukhera FI, Taylor BS, Teunis L, Thomas RJ, Thorp JM, Thuluvath P, Ticotsky A, Tita AT, Tuttle KR, Urdaneta AE, Valdivieso D, VanWagoner TM, Vasey A, Verduzco-Gutierrez M, Wallace ZS, Ward HD, Warren DE, Weiner SJ, Welch S, Whiteheart SW, Wiley Z, Wisnivesky JP, Yee LM, Zisis S, Horwitz LI, Foulkes AS; RECOVER Consortium
JAMA 2023 Jun 13;329(22):1934-1946. doi: 10.1001/jama.2023.8823. PMID: 37278994Free PMC Article

Recent systematic reviews

Wilson JC, Liu KY, Mittelman E, Bareke P, Shleifer E, Howard R
BMJ Ment Health 2025 Dec 17;28(1) doi: 10.1136/bmjment-2025-301969. PMID: 41407484Free PMC Article
Furey RT, Thomas EHX, Kulkarni J, Gurvich C
J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2025 Jun;31(5-6):459-477. Epub 2025 Oct 22 doi: 10.1017/S1355617725101306. PMID: 41122799
Gorenshtein A, Liba T, Leibovitch L, Stern S, Stern Y
Neurol Sci 2024 Jul;45(7):2951-2968. Epub 2024 May 2 doi: 10.1007/s10072-024-07566-w. PMID: 38695969Free PMC Article
Chari DA, Madhani A, Sharon JD, Lewis RF
J Neurol 2022 Nov;269(11):5831-5842. Epub 2022 Aug 5 doi: 10.1007/s00415-022-11289-3. PMID: 35930032
Ceban F, Ling S, Lui LMW, Lee Y, Gill H, Teopiz KM, Rodrigues NB, Subramaniapillai M, Di Vincenzo JD, Cao B, Lin K, Mansur RB, Ho RC, Rosenblat JD, Miskowiak KW, Vinberg M, Maletic V, McIntyre RS
Brain Behav Immun 2022 Mar;101:93-135. Epub 2021 Dec 29 doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.12.020. PMID: 34973396Free PMC Article

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