Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Disrupted Due to COVID-19
Revamped Review: COVID-19's Impact on the Brain – Unraveling the Mysteries
Navigating the tangled web connecting COVID-19, neurological symptoms, and our noggins has scientists scratching their heads. But we're on the case!
Brain Buzz
COVID-19 ain't just a respiratory storm–it's a neurological showdown too! According to research, an estimated 15-25% of folks with severe COVID-19 develop neurological issues like headaches, disorientation, and episodes resembling a seizure.
It's not uncommon for doctors to send patients with these symptoms off for an electroencephalography (EEG) test, which maps the electrical buzz of the brain.
EEG: Brain's White Noise
Scientists from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, and the University of Pittsburgh, PA, sifted through EEG records from a whopping 617 patients (with an average age of 61.3, two-thirds of 'em men) reported in 84 different studies.
The researchers found that the frontal lobes, nestled right beside the entry point for the virus, showed the greatest abnormalities. They also noticed that the severity of the brain abnormalities matched the seriousness of the sickness–especially if patients already had neurological problems like epilepsy.
Mixed Up Messages
However, the scientists remind us that the virus might not be the only culprit behind these brain flubs. Systemic effects, like inflammation, reduced oxygen supply, sticky blood, and heart issues, could play a role too.
Indeed, the study identified "diffuse slowing" across the entire brain in almost 70% of patients, hinting at a broader, more subtle impact on the brain's performance.
Brain Fog: Long COVID's Wicked Hangover
Some recovering COVID-19 patients report ongoing health troubles, now falling under the "long COVID" umbrella. One of these persistent issues? Brain fog–a fuzzy, disorienting sensation akin to mental cobwebs.
Research is still in its infancy, but one study, yet to undergo peer review, suggests that COVID-19 might age the brain by about a decade. Yikes!
So, what do the EEG findings add to the murky picture? Well, they intensify concerns about long-term brain effects.
Hold on to Hope
On a silver lining, the researchers reported that more than half (56.8%) of those who had follow-up EEG tests showed some improvement!
However, the study did have its limitations, such as lack of access to individual study data and potential bias due to an overemphasis on patients with neurological symptoms.
For live updates on COVID-19 and its sinister hold on our heads, stay tuned!
- The study of COVID-19's impact on the brain has revealed that neurological issues like headaches, disorientation, and seizure-like episodes can develop in 15-25% of individuals with severe COVID-19.
- In analyzing EEG records from a significant number of patients, researchers found that the frontal lobes, located near the virus's entry point, showed the most abnormalities and that the severity of brain abnormalities mirrored the seriousness of the illness, especially for those with pre-existing neurological conditions like epilepsy.
- The researchers caution that while the virus may influence brain abnormalities, other factors such as inflammation, reduced oxygen supply, and heart issues could contribute to the neurological complications observed in patients.
