Since the FDA first licensed TMS for use in depressive illness back in 2008, there has been a growth in its wider use as a treatment for many different mental health conditions.  TMS shows promising results in people who are suffering from brain fog, a condition that causes a wide variety of cognitive problems.  Many people complain of memory issues, lack of focus, and difficulty concentrating on tasks.  This article looks at what brain fog is, how TMS works on the brain and its potential in helping to reduce these debilitating symptoms.

What is “Brain Fog”?

Brain fog is a symptom rather than a medical condition.  When someone has brain fog, they are usually experiencing some or all of the following issues:

• Memory problems – difficulties in remembering information or tasks. Memory problems may occur for several reasons,  for example, after a brain injury or stroke.  TMS works with the brain to create new pathways that increase activity in specific areas of the brain.  This helps increase the ability to retain and recall information and improve problem-solving skills.
• Poor concentration – being unable to focus on tasks or maintain attention over time. Lack of focus may be due to a stroke or other brain injury, medication or medical condition.
• Confusion – there may be problems with thinking clearly or understanding and processing information.
• Mental fatigue – overwhelming feelings of tiredness even after minimal effort. TMS works with neurotransmitters to lift mood and reduce the feelings associated with mental tiredness.
• Poor performance – there may be decreased efficiency in the home or the workplace. This decline is often due to reduced cognitive skills.

Conditions that can cause brain fog

People with certain medical or physical conditions may experience problems with brain fog.  It may be the result of several factors including:

• Stress – especially when someone has been exposed to high levels of stress over extended periods of time. This prolonged stress leads to high levels of adrenalin, cortisol and other stress hormones.  These high levels can, in turn, interfere with cognition, leading to confusion, memory loss and lack of ability to focus.
• Sleep problems – sleep deprivation has multiple causes including insomnia, stress, depressive illness, or pain. The brain consolidates memories, restores its cognitive centers and removes toxins during the sleep cycle.  When this process is repeatedly disrupted, poor mental function results.  This is often described as ‘brain fog’.  People may struggle to focus, and memory is frequently negatively affected.  Sleep deprivation is also highly implicated in mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
• Hormonal changes – menopausal women often complain of several cognitive issues, and brain fog features highly in this. Post-partum women also complain of ‘baby brain’, which presents in a similar way to brain fog.
• Medications – some medications have been known to cause an increased incidence of brain fog symptoms. These include drugs given for epilepsy, mood disorders, antihistamines and tranquillizers, among others.
• Medical conditions – multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and depression can be associated with brain fog. For example, individuals with  CFS, also known as ME, often experience extreme fatigue.  This fatigue does not improve after rest but usually worsens with any activity.  It is frequently accompanied by brain fog and severely impacts a person’s life.
• COVID-19 – Certain people have reported long-term brain fog following COVID-19 infection. The cause of this is unknown, but the impact of stress and sleep disturbance due to long-lasting infection has been implicated.

While the causes are diverse, the experience and impact on daily life are profound and affect people across all aspects of daily life.

How TMS works

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) has been primarily used to treat depression, especially for those people who have not responded fully to traditional treatments.  It is often used alongside medication and talking therapies.  Over time, its use has been expanded to include conditions such as PTSD, addiction and anxiety disorders, among others.

TMS is non-invasive and is carried out as an outpatient.  An electromagnetic coil is placed on the scalp and delivers magnetic pulses that pass through the skull into the brain.  These pulses encourage and promote electrical activity in brain tissue, specifically, those areas involving mood and cognition.  Brain fog is a symptom of disruption in the communication within the brain, leading to a loss of function.  TMS can help to restore this function over time.

TMS works to:

• Improve communication between brain regions. TMS uses the brain’s natural ability to form new connections over time (plasticity).  By stimulating the development of new neural pathways, it can help people to think more clearly.  In turn, memory and concentration are improved.
• Helps regulation of brain chemicals. Certain neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine, play a crucial role in mood regulation and assist with cognitive functioning.  Brain fog can occur if the production of these chemicals is out of sync.  The magnetic pulses delivered during TMS therapy can help stimulate the release and uptake of these neurotransmitters and help restore balance within the brain.  This action increases cognitive function, improves memory and focus, and reduces brain fog.

The main benefits of TMS for Brain Fog

TMS is non-invasive.  There is no need for anesthesia or sedation.  Once the treatment session is completed, patients are free to leave and go about their usual daily routines.  TMS treatments are delivered in sessions of about 30-minute duration, every day on weekdays.  The number of weeks may vary according to symptoms and how well an individual responds to the treatment.

TMS has few side effects, and most people experience no side effects at all.  A mild headache or discomfort to the scalp may occur for a few individuals.  These are very mild and pass quickly, which is in stark contrast to some of the medications that may be prescribed to help them cope with the symptoms of brain fog.

TMS is targeted so it is delivered to the specific brain regions associated with brain fog, primarily the pre-frontal cortex.  This acts directly on the area of the brain known to cause issues with cognition.  This allows for effective, non-invasive treatment without the risk of widespread negative system-wide side effects.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation can be seamlessly integrated with other treatments.  Combining medications, talking therapies, and TMS assists clinicians in tailoring a comprehensive treatment plan to the individual.  This planned intervention enhances the positive impacts for individuals with brain fog.

The future of TMS in the treatment of brain fog

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is an exciting development for the treatment of multiple mental health conditions.  In 2023, the first study was produced showing benefits for people experiencing debilitating levels of brain fog because of COVID-19, and research is ongoing with new benefits discovered all the time.  TMS is one of the most promising new treatments for helping people cope with the debilitating effects of multiple mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, which are often accompanied by sleep issues and brain fog.  TMS has been shown to help improve cognitive functions and reduce mental fatigue.  It is especially appealing to those people who have struggled for some time or who have not responded well to traditional therapies.

TMS at the South Colorado TMS Center

Since 2011, the Southern Colorado TMS Center has been at the forefront of delivering high-quality, effective TMS.

The first stage of your treatment is a full assessment by one of our health professionals.  This assessment identifies your specific symptoms and helps us tailor the treatments to meet your needs.  After this, an appointment will be made for you as an outpatient.  Your sessions will be arranged on weekdays and last around 20-30 minutes.

At your session, your TMS technician will fully support you and will administer the therapy according to the treatment plan established during your assessment.  During this time, you will be seated comfortably and may read, watch a movie, listen to music, or just sit back and relax.  You will not be sedated and can communicate with your technician during the procedure.   Once the treatment is finished for the day, you can go home and carry on as usual.  If you do experience a mild headache, this usually passes very quickly.

The number of sessions you will receive can vary depending on your underlying condition, the issues identified in your initial assessment, and how well you respond to the TMS therapy.  During this time, we can adjust the treatment as needed to make sure you get the best results.  Everyone is unique, so some people need more treatment than others to see the most significant benefit.

Once the course of treatment is complete, you will be offered a follow-up appointment to evaluate the success of the therapy.  You may be offered extra maintenance treatments if necessary, but this is based on your individual needs and not everyone needs these.

Our fully trained staff are always available for advice, to help you make the best decision for your health.  If you think that TMS may provide relief from your brain fog, your first step is to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.