Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Potentially Affected by COVID-19
Approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 experience neurological symptoms, including headaches, confusion, and seizures, according to current estimates. A recent review of research findings suggests that abnormalities in the frontal lobes of the brain, as revealed by electroencephalography (EEG) tests, are common among these patients.
The study, published in the Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, analyzed EEG results from 617 patients, mostly males aged 61.3 years, reported in 84 different studies. The most common findings were slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges.
Importantly, the extent of the EEG abnormalities positively correlated with the severity of the disease and the presence of preexisting neurological conditions, such as epilepsy. Around a third of the abnormal findings were in the frontal lobes of the brain, suggesting a potential connection with the virus's entry point in the nose.
However, the researchers noted that not all the damage might be directly attributable to the virus. Systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest, may also play a role in EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
The study identified "diffuse slowing" in the background electrical activity of the whole brain in almost 70% of patients. Long-term effects on the brain, such as "brain fog" experienced by some COVID-19 survivors, have been a concern, and these findings add to them.
On a positive note, 56.8% of patients who had follow-up EEG tests showed improvements. The authors acknowledged several limitations in their analysis, including the lack of access to raw data from individual studies and potential biases in reported EEG results.
Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay between COVID-19 severity, preexisting neurological conditions, and neurological outcomes. In the meantime, doctors may refer patients who are experiencing neurological symptoms for an EEG test.
- The study, published in the Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, found that approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19, a type of coronavirus, experience neurological symptoms, such as epilepsy seizures, headaches, and confusion.
- The researchers noted that abnormalities in the frontal lobes of the brain, often seen through EEG tests, are common among COVID-19 patients, particularly those with preexisting neurological conditions, like epilepsy.
- The findings from this health-and-wellness study suggest a potential connection between the virus's entry point in the nose and abnormalities in the frontal lobes, but doctors should also consider other medical-conditions and systemic effects of the infection when interpreting EEG results.
