Opinion Mind in the mist: the interplay between fatigue, information processing and brain fog, 2025, Gaber

[Dolphin]

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21641846.2025.2513194

Editorial
Mind in the mist: the interplay between fatigue, information processing and brain fog
Tarek A.-Z. K. Gaber
Published online: 04 Jun 2025

• Cite this article
  
• https://doi.org/10.1080/21641846.2025.2513194
  

In this article

• The energy-efficient brain
• The probabilistic brain
• Information theory
• The probabilistic nature of information
• Conclusion
• Additional information
• References

The term brain fog was coined by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients to describe the constellation of cognitive difficulties that are associated with their debilitating fatigue. It was recently adopted by patients suffering from Post Covid syndrome to describe the same symptoms hence its widespread recognition as a clinical syndrome [Citation1]. There is no clear definition for brain fog, but it is generally related to attention and concentration problems, short-term memory impairment, difficulty focusing on a task or multitask which leads to feeling overwhelmed and short-tempered [Citation2].

Because of its subjective and fluctuating nature, clinicians found it difficult to measure or conceptualise. The efforts aiming to understand or evaluate this phenomenon often focus on the pathological processes likely to play a role in its evolution and persistent activity [Citation3].

In this short article, we will explore this clinical challenge from a different angle by examining the relationship between fatigue (lack of energy) and its impact on the computational capacity of the brain.

 

[Creekside]

I was disappointed by the article. I can imagine a pompous professor stating that "Brainfog is just a lack of ATP in the brain cells, no need to look further, just send me a Nobel Prize". There are plenty of other possible theories.

I wonder whether this theory is reasonably easy to test by measuring brain energy consumption during brainfog vs not brainfog. Thermal output? EM output? Glucose vs CO2 levels coming out vs going in?

 

[Hoopoe]

I think this way at looking at rehabilitation is useful approach and I've been looking for something like this. Although I see it more as an adaptation strategy than rehabilitation.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

I was disappointed by the article. I can imagine a pompous professor stating that "Brainfog is just a lack of ATP in the brain cells, no need to look further, just send me a Nobel Prize". There are plenty of other possible theories.

I lost interest when it said fatigue was lack of energy. That sort of level of analysis leads to dead ends almost always. (And fatigue wasn't the right word anyway.)

 

[alktipping]

I thought people with FM call their cognitive problems brainfog . as in the term was created by that group of patients.

 

[rvallee]

The term brain fog was coined by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) patients

No it wasn't. I don't know who first used it but it's far from exclusive to ME/CFS. For sure it was created by patients, many decades ago, and the medical profession is still utterly clueless about it. Doesn't look like anything changed since then.

There is no clear definition for brain fog, but it is generally related to attention and concentration problems, short-term memory impairment, difficulty focusing on a task or multitask which leads to feeling overwhelmed and short-tempered

That started well, but ended up with a bit of derp. Which is about average, as these things go. I wish the average were a lot better than this, though. It really should.

Because of its subjective and fluctuating nature, clinicians found it difficult to measure or conceptualise

I wish it did. It is difficult for them to do it right, but it hasn't stopped many, far too many if we're being honest, from doing just that. Most of it pretty much derp.