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Review
. 2025 Mar 14;25(2):137-142.
doi: 10.1136/pn-2024-004112.

Brain fog

Laura McWhirter  1
Affiliations
Review

Brain fog

Laura McWhirter. Pract Neurol. .

Abstract

'Brain fog' is a term that patients use increasingly frequently in the neurology clinic. We may think that we know what patients are talking about but at least some of the time we are likely to be getting it wrong. Patients use the term 'brain fog' to describe a wide range of subjective phenomena and symptoms. This paper suggests useful lines of questioning, and discusses the clinical correlates of a range of common 'brain fog' experiences.

Keywords: COVID-19; chronic fatigue syndrome; clinical neurology; cognition; neuropsychiatry.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: LM is secretary (unpaid) of the British Neuropsychiatry Association. LM undertakes paid expert witness work in court cases on neuropsychiatric matters. LM has previously received funding from the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office to undertake clinical research into post-COVID symptoms. No current research funding.

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