Brain's Frontal Lobes' Electrical Activity Potentially Affected by COVID-19
In a recent study, researchers found that patients with COVID-19 who show neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, and seizures, commonly experience abnormalities in their brain activity, as revealed in electroencephalography (EEG) tests.
Here's an approximate 15-25% chance that a severe COVID-19 patient will experience such neurological symptoms[3]. To investigate the effects of COVID-19 on the brain, researchers analyzed EEG results from 617 patients, reported across 84 different studies[2].
The most typical findings the researchers identified were the slowing of brain waves and unusual electrical discharges. Remarkably, about one-third of these abnormalities took place in the frontal lobes of the brain[1].
"The virus seems to target this area since it's directly next to the nose, which likely serves as the most common entry point for the virus," stated Dr. Zulfi Haneef, an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor College of Medicine[1]. "These findings imply that we should consider EEG tests for a broader range of patients and other imaging techniques like MRIs or CT scans to provide a more detailed view of the frontal lobe," he added.
Still, the researchers note that the virus may not directly cause all the damage[1]. Systemic effects of the infection, like inflammation, low oxygen levels, sticky blood, and cardiac arrest, might contribute to EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes[1].
The study also found "diffuse slowing" in the background electrical activity of the whole brain in nearly 70% of patients[1]. In addition, concerns about long-term cognitive decline arise from people who have recovered from COVID-19 experiencing ongoing health problems, often referred to as "long COVID." Among these concerns is "brain fog."
In a research yet to be peer-reviewed or published, individuals who claimed to have contracted COVID-19 performed less exceptionally on an online cognitive test than those who did not believe they had the virus[2]. The authors suggest that the infection might have aged participants cognitively by around a decade[2].
Although this cross-sectional study doesn't prove long-term cognitive decline caused by the infection, it does raise questions about potential lasting impacts on the brain[2].
"Given that there are EEG abnormalities associated with the neurological symptoms of COVID-19 infection, these concerns are valid," Dr. Haneef notes[1]. "A lot of people believe they'll recover and get back to normal, but these findings suggest there might be long-term issues. We're seeing more evidence to support that theory now."
On the bright side, about 56.8% of these patients showed improvements during follow-up EEG tests[1]. However, the analysis had several constraints, including limited access to raw data and potential omission of normal EEGs, potentially skewing the research results[1].
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- The coronavirus, particularly in severe cases, can lead to neurological symptoms such as seizures, and researchers are finding that these symptoms are often associated with abnormalities in brain activity, as revealed in EEG tests.
- A study on the effects of COVID-19 on the brain found that about one-third of the identified abnormalities occurred in the frontal lobes of the brain, suggesting that these areas might be more susceptible to virus-induced damage.
- Beyond the frontal lobes, other neurological disorders like epilepsy seizures, mental health issues, and other cognitive decline may also be linked to COVID-19, although more research is needed to confirm these connections.
- To help manage the potential long-term impacts on the brain, some researchers are investigating alternative treatments like CBD, a compound found in cannabis, which has shown promise in the treatment of neurological disorders and mental health conditions.
