Brain's Frontal Lobes disrupted by COVID-19 electrical activity alterations
Study Finds Brain Abnormalities in COVID-19 Patients with Neurological Symptoms
About 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients may experience neurological symptoms such as headaches, confusion, seizures, and strokes. Researchers have found that a significant number of these patients display abnormal electrical activity in their brains, as revealed by electroencephalography (EEG) tests.
According to a review published in Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, researchers analyzed EEG results from 617 patients included in 84 different studies. The most common findings were slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges, particularly in the frontal lobes of the brain. The extent of EEG abnormalities was positively correlated with the severity of the disease and the presence of preexisting neurological conditions.
Dr. Zulfi Haneef, assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor College of Medicine, highlights the potential connection between the virus's entry point in the nose and the frontal lobe's proximity to this area. He suggests that EEGs and other brain imaging techniques, such as MRI or CT scans, could be employed more extensively to further investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the brain.
However, it is noteworthy that the virus may not be solely responsible for all the observed damage. Systemic effects of the infection, including inflammation, low oxygen levels, unusually "sticky" blood, and cardiac arrest, might contribute to EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
Additionally, a recent study, yet to be peer-reviewed or published, suggests that COVID-19 could lead to long-term cognitive decline, an issue that highlights growing concerns about the longer-term effects of the virus on the brain.
Despite these concerns, the review findings indicate a modest possibility of improvement for patients experiencing EEG abnormalities, with approximately 56.8% showing signs of recovery after follow-up testing. Nevertheless, the analysis had several limitations, including the lack of access to raw data, potential omissions of normal EEGs, and the impact of administered anti-seizure medications on EEG traces.
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The coronavirus can lead to neurological symptoms such as seizures in severe cases, and studies have found brain abnormalities in COVID-19 patients with such symptoms. Research has shown that the frontal lobes of the brain, which are near the virus's entry point in the nose, are significantly affected, showing slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges. However, it's important to note that the virus may not be solely responsible for all the observed damage, as systemic effects of the infection could contribute to EEG abnormalities. Despite this, a modest possibility of improvement has been observed in patients with EEG abnormalities, with around 56.8% showing signs of recovery after follow-up testing. Furthermore, recent research suggests that COVID-19 could lead to long-term cognitive decline, raising concerns about its impact on mental health, neurological disorders, and overall health-and-wellness.
