Brain fog after Covid linked to blood clots - study

Blood clots in the brain or the lungs might explain some common symptoms of "Long Covid", including brain fog and fatigue, a UK study suggests.

In the study, of 1,837 people admitted to hospital because of Covid, researchers say two blood proteins point to clots being one cause.

It is thought 16% of such patients have trouble thinking, concentrating or remembering for at least six months.

But the research team, from the universities of Oxford and Leicester, stress:

• Their findings are relevant only to patients admitted to hospital.
• They are "the first piece of the jigsaw" but further research is needed before they can propose or test any potential treatments.
• They tracked cognitive problems at six and 12 months only and through tests and questionnaires, which may "lack sensitivity".

Identifying predictors and possible mechanisms was "a key step" in understanding post-Covid brain fog, study author Prof Paul Harrison, from the University of Oxford, said.

Leicester's professor of respiratory medicine, Chris Brightling, said: "It's a combination of someone's health before, the acute event itself and what happens afterwards that lead on to physical and mental health consequences."

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Source: BBC News, 31 August 2023