'Brain fog' in hepatitis C may have organic cause. (Neurotoxic Effect of Virus Suspected).(Brief Article)

SAN FRANCISCO -- The complaint of 'brain fog' commonly voiced by patients with chronic hepatitis C infection even in the absence of cirrhosis appears to have an organic cause, Dr. Chris Bassel reported at the annual Digestive Disease Week.

One strong possibility is that this brain fog results from a direct neurotoxic immunologic effect of the hepatitis C virus upon the CNS, according to Dr. Bassel of the University of Toronto.

Typical complaints of brain fog in patients with chronic hepatitis C involve forgetfulness, fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, and depression. To learn whether patients who complain of brain fog have objective brain abnormalities, …