What is ‘Brain Fog’, and How is it Measured?

What is ‘Brain Fog’, and How is it Measured?
Virtual, Event
March 12, 2025

The term and symptoms associated with ‘brain fog’ have been elevated in the research, healthcare, and consumer spheres since the COVID-19 pandemic in part due to long-COVID effects.

It has also been highlighted in women’s health as a way to describe menopause-related cognitive changes. Consumers likewise reach for nutrition solutions to impact the experience of ‘brain fog.’

At the same time, there is no generally accepted definition or way to measure this outcome, although the term is used in research applying various cognitive performance evaluation metrics.

In this dialogue, the IAFNS Cognitive Health Committee will engage with experts to understand how ‘brain fog’ is operationalized in research, what we know about the underlying physiology and neurology, and discuss whether it is of value to advance consensus on this term.

The panel includes: 

Gitendra Uswatte, PhD, UAB

Kristine Lokken, PhD, UAB

Jane Ogden, PhD, University of Surrey, U.K.

This activity is organized by the IAFNS Cognitive Health Committee.

For more information, please contact IAFNS at science@iafns.org.