Yes, and it's one of the most misunderstood effects of brain injury. Cognitive fatigue is different from feeling physically tired. It happens when the brain has to work harder than usual to complete tasks that once felt automatic, like reading emails, multitasking, or following a fast-paced conversation.

This can show up at work as:

• Slower processing when switching between tasks
• Increased errors later in the day, even on familiar work
• Needing more frequent breaks to "reset"
• Feeling mentally drained after a shorter workday than before

For our workers' comp patients especially, this matters because cognitive fatigue can affect return-to-work timelines even when physical symptoms have resolved. Documenting it with objective testing helps case managers and employers understand what accommodations might actually help.

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