Art Vandelay
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While this article doesn't seem to contain any hard research, I thought the claim that brain fog in allergies could be caused by cytokines was moderately interesting. My gut feeling is that my ME/CFS brain fog is correlated with the inflammation I experience and thus may be due to cytokines.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/21/well/live/why-do-allergies-cause-brain-fog.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/21/well/live/why-do-allergies-cause-brain-fog.html
Why Do Allergies Cause ‘Brain Fog’?
Ask Well
By KAREN WEINTRAUB APRIL 21, 2017
Q. When I have allergies or a cold, I find it difficult to think. How does sinus congestion affect the brain?
A. The short answer is no one really knows why people often report feeling “fuzzy headed” when they have allergies or a cold.
...
“The thought is allergies are essentially inflammation in the nose and sinuses,” said Dr. Mark Aronica, an allergist at the Cleveland Clinic. This inflammation triggers the release of proteins called cytokines as part of the immune response.
The same process happens when you have a cold. “These cytokines are there to help fight infection, and also have an impact on our ability to think and function and perform,” Dr. Aronica said. The result is that people with allergies or a bad cold often feel as if they are seeing the world through cheesecloth.