Covid-19 brain fog: neurological symptoms likely due to immune reaction, should be reversible

Growing evidence suggests neurological symptoms of long covid, such as brain fog, are caused by an immune reaction – and should be reversible



Health



20 January 2022

Illustration of SARS-Cov-2 virus

The SARS-Cov-2 virus may cause immune reactions that lead to neurological symptoms

SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Over the past couple of years, we have learned that covid-19 can have profound consequences for the brain, both in the short and long term.

Now, researchers are beginning to get a clearer picture of how the coronavirus might be causing a range of symptoms that include brain fog, depression, confusion and even stroke. These latest insights suggest that the virus seldom infects brain cells directly, but instead harms the brain indirectly by causing blood clots or spurring a …