Publication date: Jun 13, 2026
Headache and brain fog are common after COVID-19 infection, and inflammation and vasculopathy might be the potential underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to delineate the extent and impact of cerebrovascular involvement in patients with persistent long-COVID syndrome in a large Asian cohort. We prospectively collected data from patients with persistent (≥ 3 months) post-COVID headache or brain fog, and controls were free from neurological symptoms within 3 months after COVID-19 resolution. The anterior and posterior Focal Cerebral Arteriopathy Severity Score (FCASS) was used to assess the severity of arteriopathy and was modified to account for bilateral involvement (total score: anterior: 0-40; posterior: 0-52). Symptom severity was assessed using monthly headache days, Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), and brain fog severity scale (0-10). A total of 108 patients (M: F = 27:81) were divided into four groups based on symptoms categories. The presence of more symptom categories was associated with higher anterior-FCASS (combined 6. 6 [2. 1] vs. headache 3. 6 [1. 6] vs. brain-fog 4. 7 [1. 7] vs. control 0. 8 [0. 6], p
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| Concepts | Keywords |
|---|---|
| Asian | Brain fog |
| Covid | Cerebral arteriopathy |
| Migraine | COVID-19 |
| Monthly | Headache |
| Psychiatry |
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | headache |
| disease | MESH | brain fog |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| disease | MESH | inflammation |
| disease | MESH | syndrome |
| disease | MESH | Migraine |
| disease | MESH | Long Covid |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Coenzyme M |