Can Inflammation Cause Mental Sluggishness?
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Over the years, many of the 12 million UK residents suffering from chronic illnesses have also reported that they experience ‘brain fog’ or ‘sluggishness’. Studies have even shown that more mild illnesses, such as the common cold, have the ability to place people in a state of slowed cognition, confusion, and pyscho-dysfunction.
A recent study done at the University of Birmingham has attributed this sluggishness, (at least in part), to inflammation. This double-blinded study focused specifically on behavioral task performance and EEG activity in the brain within 20 healthy males, and the results suggest that acute inflammation required individuals to exert greater cognitive effort when preparing for a task in order to maintain adequate behavioral performance.
The author of this study, Dr. Leonie Balter concluded:
“Getting a better understanding of the relationships between inflammation and brain function will help us investigate other ways to treat some of these conditions. For example, further research might show that patients with conditions associated with chronic inflammation, such as obesity, kidney disease or Alzheimer’s, could benefit from taking anti-inflammatory drugs to help preserve or improve cognitive function.”
The next step for the team will be to test the effects of inflammation on other areas of brain function such as memory.