“Chemo brain” is a well-known phenomenon that describes thinking problems before, during, and after cancer treatment, according to the National Cancer Institute. (Don’t stop taking prescribed meditation without first consulting your physician.) Chemotherapy People experience side effects in different ways, but if you’ve noticed that brain fog has occurred after starting a new drug, ask your doctor or pharmacist if cognitive issues are a possible side effect. In addition, taking multiple medications - also called polypharmacy - can be another factor in brain fog, she says. “I warn patients that it can cause cloudy thinking, confusion, and word-finding difficulty,” Wilhour says. For example, topiramate (Topamax), which is used to treat migraine, can leave you feeling mentally murky. Taking medication may include side effects related to brain fog. According to Beyond Celiac, 95 percent of people in its research with nonceliac gluten sensitivity report having brain fog. In addition, food allergies and sensitivities may also change your cognitive capabilities, Wilhour notes. Specifically, a deficiency in B12 or iron can cause anemia, which can decrease your energy levels and tangentially affect cognition, says Wilhour. If you’re eating a restricted diet, not consuming adequate vitamins and minerals may result in experiencing some brain fog, says Pudumjee. (Some call this “pregnancy brain.”)Īs for menopause, one study explains that difficulty with memory can begin early on in menopause and end in postmenopause, likely due to the effects that estrogen has on memory performance. Research shows that people who are pregnant report confusion, disorientation, and fogginess, which lead to behaviors such as putting things down in odd places, misplacing belongings, and forgetting simple work tasks. Menopause and pregnancy can both contribute to brain fog, says Dr. That said, here are a few common causes to consider. One of the challenges with understanding brain fog is that there are so many potential causes, and having brain fog alone doesn’t tell doctors what exactly is going on. In one study that examined the use of the term “brain fog” in Reddit posts, people described this experience with a range of descriptors, including “dissociation, fatigue, forgetfulness, and excessive cognitive effort.” These symptoms can all combine to give you the feeling that your thinking is cloudy. ![]() Pudumjee also says that patients describe a general feeling of cognitive sluggishness.
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