Brain's frontal lobes can experience interruptions in electrical activity due to COVID-19 infection.
COVID-19 and its neurological effects keep scientists on their toes, and recent studies are shining a light on the brain abnormalities associated with the virus. A group of researchers delved into EEG test results from over 600 patients, and the findings are pretty damn eye-opening.
You might not be aware, but about 15-25% of patients fighting COVID-19 like a boss often face neurological symptoms, including headaches, confusion, violent seizures, and goddamn strokes. So, when those symptoms rear their ugly heads, doctors might call for an EEG test. This test slaps some electrodes on your scalp to monitor the electrical activity in your brain like you're some kind of electrical circus act.
Guess what? The researchers found a fuck-ton of abnormalities while scanning those patients' brains. The most common findings were the slowing of brain waves and an unusual electrical dance known as discharges. Shockingly, these EEG abnormalities were more common in people with severe COVID-19 or preexisting neurological conditions, like epilepsy.
Would you believe it if I told you that the virus's "most likely entry point" is the nose? It just so happens that the frontal lobes, right next to that entry point, were where around a third of these abnormalities showed up. It seems those frontal lobes have a nosier relationship with the virus than previously thought.
Now, this doesn't necessarily mean the virus is the sole culprit for the damage. The systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation and low oxygen levels, can also contribute to EEG abnormalities that go beyond just the frontal lobes.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. Almost 57% of those who had follow-up EEG tests showed improvements. However, there were limitations to this study, like the lack of raw data and potential bias in the reporting of normal EEGs.
Interestingly, some who recovered from COVID-19 have reported ongoing health issues, like "brain fog." Researchers think the virus might be aging these people's brains by about a decade, according to a recent study that didn't go through the usual publishing process yet. This and the EEG abnormalities add fuel to the concerns that COVID-19 might have some long-lasting impact on our noggins.
So, there you have it. EEG tests on COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms reveal abnormalities that our noggins can't shake off too easily. While scary, it's essential to stay informed and remember that more studies are needed to fully understand the effects of the virus on our brains. Keep your brain exercises up and your health in check!
- The study of 600 COVID-19 patients revealed that about 15-25% of them experienced neurological symptoms, such as headaches, seizures, and strokes.
- The researchers found a high number of EEG abnormalities in these patients, with the most common findings being the slowing of brain waves and unusual electrical discharges.
- Remarkably, these EEG abnormalities were more prevalent in patients with severe COVID-19 or preexisting neurological conditions, like epilepsy.
