Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Potentially Affected by COVID-19
Approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 exhibit neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, and seizures, according to recent data. As part of efforts to understand the virus's impact on the brain, researchers have examined electroencephalography (EEG) test results from over 600 patients.
Conducted by teams from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh, the review of 84 studies found that the frontal lobes of the brain were often affected, with slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges being the most common findings. Remarkably, the extent of the EEG abnormalities was found to positively correlate with the severity of the disease and the presence of pre-existing neurological conditions.
"We know that the most likely entry point for the virus is the nose, so there seems to be a connection between the part of the brain that is located directly next to that entry point," explained Dr. Zulfi Haneef, an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor and one of the study's co-authors.
The findings suggest that a broader use of EEG tests and other brain imaging techniques will be necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding of COVID-19 and its neurological impacts. However, the researchers also noted that the virus may not be directly responsible for all the damage observed and that systemic effects like inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest could also play a role in EEG abnormalities beyond the frontal lobes.
While COVID-19 has been associated with a variety of neurological complications, some individuals who have recovered from the virus continue to experience ongoing health problems often referred to as "long COVID." One such issue is "brain fog," and a recent study found that individuals who claim to have had COVID performed less well on an online cognitive test than those who did not believe they had been infected. While this study does not prove long-term cognitive decline caused by the virus, it does add to concerns about the virus's lasting effects on the brain, according to experts consulted by the Science Media Centre in London.
The researchers of the EEG review also reported that 56.8% of patients showed improvements when follow-up EEG tests were conducted, providing some hope for those struggling with neurological issues related to COVID-19. However, the study was subject to several limitations, such as incomplete access to individual study data and potential biases in the performance of EEG tests only on patients with neurological symptoms.
As researchers continue to study the complex relationships between COVID-19, the brain, and EEG findings, individuals who experience neurological symptoms alongside COVID-19 infection are urged to seek medical attention promptly. By understanding the potential neurological impacts of the virus, healthcare providers and patients alike can better prepare for and address such complications.
- "Interestingly, seizures among coronavirus patients, including those with epilepsy, might be linked to the virus's impact on the brain, as suggested by recent studies on COVID-19."
- "Given the correlation between the severity of COVID-19 and the extent of EEG abnormalities, it's crucial for medical-conditions like neurological disorders and health-and-wellness to be included in ongoing research about the virus."
- "Scientists are not only examining the influence of COVID-19 on the brain, but also the possible long-term effects, such as brain fog, which could be associated with neurological disorders like epilepsy and other neurological-disorders."
