Dr. Michael VanElzakker smiling next to the title of the presentation

What Is Brain Fog, Biologically?

Name: What Is Brain Fog, Biologically?
Uploaded: 2026-09-02T00:00:00+00:00
Description: In this episode of Teach Me in 10 , Dr. Michael VanElzakker, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, explores how communication between the immune and nervous systems can influence brain function.

Video

Published: September 2, 2026

Laura Hemmingham, PhD

speaking with

Michael VanElzakker, PhD

Brain fog can manifest as poor concentration, forgetfulness, and mental fatigue, but the biology behind these symptoms is complex and may differ from person to person.

In this episode of Teach Me in 10, Dr. Michael VanElzakker, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Neuroinflammation Research Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital, explores how communication between the immune and nervous systems can influence brain function. He explains how immune signals may contribute to cognitive symptoms, why brain fog is difficult to measure objectively, and why identifying individual root causes could be key to understanding persistent cognitive dysfunction.

Watch this episode to explore:

How immune-brain signaling may influence cognitive function
Why brain fog is difficult to define and measure
How identifying underlying causes could improve intervention strategies

Further resources:

Meet the Author

Laura Hemmingham, PhD

Scientific Content Producer

Laura holds a BSc in Zoology from Queen Mary University of London, an MSc in Palaeoanthropology from UCL, and a PhD in Environmental Sciences from Royal Holloway, University of London. Her academic journey has been fueled by a broad interest in the life sciences and a passion for making complex science accessible to diverse audiences. Before joining Technology Networks in 2025, she gained experience across several areas of science communication, including e-learning, external communications, and science writing. Her work has focused on translating technical research into engaging, understandable content tailored for both specialist and general audiences. As a Scientific Content Producer for custom video content at Technology Networks, Laura is particularly interested in bridging the gap between scientific discovery and public engagement through creative storytelling. Her work aims to support scientific literacy while highlighting the real-world impact of research and innovation.

Interviewing

Michael VanElzakker, PhD

Neuroscientist

Dr. Michael VanElzakker is a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, an instructor at Tufts University, and co-founder of the PolyBio Research Foundation. His lab's research program is focused on the neuroimaging of infection-associated chronic illness and related neurological symptoms, and he has a particular interest in neuroimmunology and advancing research methods.