Möller, Marika, Borg, Kristian, Janson, Christer et al. · Journal of internal medicine · 2023 · DOI
Many people experience brain fog and memory problems long after COVID-19 infection, affecting thinking, attention, and processing speed. This review found that 17–28% of people have these cognitive problems more than 3 months after infection, and some experience them for years. Treatment approaches include cognitive training, memory aids, lifestyle adjustments, and education about managing these symptoms.
This systematic review is valuable for ME/CFS patients and researchers because cognitive dysfunction is a hallmark symptom in both conditions, and the proposed mechanisms (neuroinflammation, hypoxia, vascular damage) overlap significantly with ME/CFS pathology. The management strategies outlined—particularly the emphasis on avoiding post-exertional malaise during cognitive training—directly parallel evidence-based approaches needed for ME/CFS patients experiencing cognitive impairment.
This review does not definitively establish causation for cognitive impairment in PCC or identify which mechanism (neuroinflammation, hypoxia, vascular damage, viral persistence) is primary. It cannot prove that cognitive training is universally effective, as the authors note limited evidence and recommend careful monitoring, particularly for patients with post-exertional malaise. The heterogeneity of cognitive presentations means findings cannot be generalized uniformly across all PCC patients.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Möller, Marika, Borg, Kristian, Janson, Christer, Lerm, Maria, Normark, Johan, & Niward, Katarina (2023). Cognitive dysfunction in post-COVID-19 condition: Mechanisms, management, and rehabilitation.. Journal of internal medicine. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.13720
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-mller-2023-cognitive-dysfunction,
author = {Möller, Marika and Borg, Kristian and Janson, Christer and Lerm, Maria and Normark, Johan and Niward, Katarina},
title = {Cognitive dysfunction in post-COVID-19 condition: Mechanisms, management, and rehabilitation.},
journal = {Journal of internal medicine},
year = {2023},
doi = {10.1111/joim.13720},
note = {PubMed: 37766515},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/mller-2023-cognitive-dysfunction},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/mller-2023-cognitive-dysfunction
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