What Is Brain Fog And What You Can Do About It!

Research shows that inflammatory arthritis can cause changes in the brain. Here’s why it happens and what you can do about it.

- Linda Rath

These are some of the ways people described their experience with “brain fog,” a frustrating phenomenon resulting in forgetfulness, difficulty thinking clearly and depression that sometimes accompanies certain types of rheumatic disease. And these responses aren’t unusual. Studies have found an estimated 20 to 30 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and more than twice as many with fibromyalgia struggle with mental functioning and mood.

Cognitive symptoms often cause more suffering than joint pain – and can be far more troubling. Many people with arthritis say they fear they’re developing dementia, but few discuss these concerns with their doctor. And doctors seldom explain that cognitive problems can be caused by some types of arthritis, often because they’re more focused on joint symptoms or not aware of it themselves.

Often Ignored

The subject has largely been ignored by researchers, too, says Patricia Katz, PhD, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), who has studied cognitive changes in various types of inflammatory arthritis.

“It hasn’t received a whole lot of attention, and certainly not much from the patient perspective,” she says.

In 2013, Katz and her colleagues published one of the largest studies to date on cognitive function in people with RA. Of 115 patients in the study, 31 percent struggled with poor memory and verbal fluency (the ability to recall and express words).