Chronic Pain Conditions
Chronic pain caused by various health conditions, like certain types of arthritis, can result in brain fog syndrome. This condition is a collective term for forgetfulness, confusion, and lack of mental clarity and focus. Recent studies also strengthen the connection between chronic pain and short-term memory loss. According to studies, pain can disarray cognitive processes, resulting in spatial memory, attention, decision-making, and recognition memory issues.
Researchers believe chronic pain reduces the ability to focus by taking up some of the brain’s resources that are often devoted to short-term memory. Before being saved in long-term memory, information is processed in short-term memory, which can be thought of as a momentary “storage tank.” A person’s brain already has to split its working memory space among all the tasks they are performing at the same time. So, when chronic pain hits, more memory resources will be taken, leading to problems in short-term memory.
In another study of people with chronic pain, researchers discovered that when patients didn’t receive pain-relieving treatment, they did poorly in memory tests. According to the researchers, the findings didn’t appear to be related to other variables like age, stress, or sleep.
