Study: Long COVID ‘brain fog’ linked to inflammation, stress markers
- A pilot study published on May 15, 2025, in PLOS One compared 10 long COVID patients to 7 fully recovered individuals to examine brain and inflammation biomarkers.
- The study followed patients with confirmed PCR-positive COVID to address why some develop cognitive symptoms such as brain fog, while others recover fully.
- Researchers found significantly lower nerve growth factor levels and higher interleukin-10 in the long COVID group, which suggest reduced brain plasticity and ongoing inflammation.
- Lead author Michael Lawrence emphasized that recognizing patients vulnerable to long COVID through specific biomarkers could enable earlier, comprehensive care, potentially improving outcomes for those experiencing ongoing symptoms.
- The findings validate long COVID symptoms and indicate assessing inflammatory and brain biomarkers may help physicians provide better, comprehensive treatment earlier.
10 Articles
10 Articles
Study links long COVID brain fog to inflammation and stress markers
A new study that is the first to compare inflammation and brain stress responses in long COVID-19 patients with individuals who have fully recovered shows that those with continued brain fog and other cognitive issues have a lower ability to adapt to stress and higher levels of inflammation in their brains.
New 'long COVID' study zeroes in on possible biological cause of brain fog
Millions of "long COVID" patients coping with debilitating "brain fog" and chronic fatigue, who are looking for answers to what's at the root of their illness, received a hopeful sign Thursday.
Scientists find two brain biomarkers in long COVID sufferers that may be causing cognitive issues
A new study that is the first to compare inflammation and brain stress responses in long COVID-19 patients with individuals who have fully recovered shows that those with continued brain fog and other cognitive issues have a lower ability to adapt to stress and higher levels of inflammation in their brains.
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