Brain fog is commonly confused with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, which include memory issues, concentration issues, and difficulties thinking properly.
Brain fog can be brought on by a variety of conditions, including dementia, migraines, and several mood disorders. ADHD and brain fog may coexist for a number of reasons, such as medicine side effects, inflammation, and irregular sleep patterns.
Although a sensation of cognitive sluggishness is sometimes referred to as “brain fog,” there is no official medical diagnosis for it.
This article explores the symptoms, causes, and potential connection between brain fog and ADHD. It explains when to consult a doctor and how to prevent and manage brain fog in people with ADHD.
What is brain fog?
Lethargy and cognitive impairment that affect a person’s ability to concentrate, remember things, and think clearly.
Brain fog is not a recognized medical term, and there are no established diagnostic guidelines for it. Rather, it describes a range of cognitive symptoms that are indicative of a decline in concentration, memory, and reasoning skills. People connect it to several health problems.
Since many individuals reported experiencing brain fog as a symptom of the virus following the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the phrase has gained increased recognition.
Focus and memory issues are two common signs of brain fog.
struggling to make decisions and complete tasks
Does ADHD cause brain fog?
indications of hyperactivity, inattention, or both. The signs and symptoms of inattentive ADHD are comparable to those of brain fog. Symptoms that coexist include: forgetfulness, difficulty concentration, difficulty planning and completing tasks.
Apart from having similar symptoms, ADHD may also be a contributing factor to brain fog. Inflammation, disturbed sleep, and adverse effects from ADHD medications could be the cause of this.
Inflammation
Think about the potential connection between neuroinflammation and mental fog. Neuroinflammation is the term for inflammation affecting the brain or spinal cord.
Important proteins are called cytokines. Reduced response times and other symptoms that are frequently associated with brain fog can be caused by elevated cytokine levels.
reduced ability to focus or attention problems associated with working memory
The authors of the review speculate that individuals with ADHD might have higher cytokine levels in their bodies than people without the disorder. This might be a sign of increased inflammation, which could cause mental fog.
To find out if inflammation and brain fog are related in ADHD patients, more research is required.
disturbance of sleep
According to a 2018 review by researchers, 25–50% of persons with ADHD may have difficulty falling asleep and may develop sleep disorders like restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and insomnia.
The review suggests that there may be a correlation between sleep problems and certain symptoms that impair cognitive function in people with ADHD.
Many of these symptoms are also connected to brain fog. People with ADHD may have sleep disruption symptoms such as:
inability to concentrate and pay attention
difficulties finishing assignments, such as schooling during the day or issues with excessive tiredness cognitive challenges pertaining to information processing
ADHD medication
Some individuals have reported experiencing brain fog-like symptoms after using stimulant medications for ADHD, such as dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) or methylphenidate (Ritalin), such as feeling dead, zombie-like, and stoned.
Feeling “zombie-like” could mean that an individual’s ADHD stimulant dosage has to be adjusted since it is too high.
Brain fog may also result from sleep disruptions brought on by stimulant drugs.
Fatigue and lethargy are other symptoms of brain fog that can be brought on by nonstimulant ADHD drugs like guanfacine (Intuniv).
