Brain Fog and Neurocognitive Assessment in ME/CFS

Brain fog mainly includes cognitive deficits in concentration and attention, as well as reduced speed of information processing and memory problems. In other cognitive domains (working memory, reasoning), PCS and ME/CFS patients show no reduction compared to healthy controls. The neurocognitive impairments in PCS and ME/CFS are also related to fatigue and sleep disturbances. MRIs showed reduced volume in the putamen and thalamus of PCS and ME/CFS patients, i.e. brain structures that are involved in the wiring of sensors. The structural changes in these regions are related to the severity of fatigue.

Prof. Finke also presented data from a population-representative study by NAPKON (National Pandemic Cohort Network) with 1000 people with a positive PCR test and 1000 healthy controls. Among the people who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2, fatigue was primarily found in younger people and females, whereas cognitive deficits tended to be found in older people and males. This could be an indication of different processes in the development of the symptoms.