User:Tcarrigan/brainfag

Brain Fag
Once a common term for mental exhaustion, Brain Fag mainly found in West Africa. Brain fag syndrome is a type of neurotic disorder first observed in white collar workers in West Africa. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Brain Fag syndrome are available below.

Symptoms
Two main symptoms of brain fag are depression and difficulty concentrating. Brain fag usually seen in male students.Other symptoms are usually centered around the neck and head including pain, tightness, pressure, heat, burning, and blurring of vision. The illness is known as a depressive disorder and can be linked to anxiety disorders. Here is a list of 17 more signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Brain Fag syndrome:

* Impaired ability to concentrate * Impaired information retention * Headache * Pain * Irritability * Agitation * Nervousness * Unhappy facial expression * Breathing problems * Weight loss * Sleep problems * Excessive sweating * Tremor * Sensation disorders * Blurred vision * Tinnitus Brain Fag syndrome:

Rare types of medical conditions and diseases in related medical categories:

Brain and Neurological Disorders: Rare Types: o Adult ADHD -- Rare Types o ADHD -- Rare Types o Alzheimer Disease -- Rare Types o Migraine -- Rare Types o Concentration Disorders -- Rare Types o Stroke -- Rare Types o Bipolar Disorder -- Rare Types o Schizophrenia -- Rare Types o Epilepsy -- Rare Types

History
Incidents of brain fag in the United States date as far back as 1852, when it was described as an overworked brain. Mental exhaustion in professionals in 1877, and mental fatigue in the elderly in 1919 was concluded to have been called brain fag.

Origin
'Fag' is derived from the word 'fatigue'. In the 1950's, the American usage of the word declined more and more. African usage was first described in 1960, and most occurs in sub-Saharan Africa. A large study in South Africa founded that female birth order and depression were linked to brain fag.

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Reference
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12590195