Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Potentially Affected by COVID-19
COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on our brains, especially in those severely affected. A review of research reveals that electroencephalography (EEG) tests – which measure brain activity – exhibit some unsettling findings among COVID patients experiencing neurological symptoms.
About 15-25% of severely ill COVID-19 patients may develop neurological issues, including headaches, confusion, seizures, and strokes. Consequently, doctors often refer patients for EEG tests, involving electrodes on the scalp to monitor brain electrical activity.
To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the brain, researchers analyzed EEG results from 617 patients across 84 studies. The study, published in Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, revealed that slowed brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges were common findings.
Interestingly, approximately one-third of these abnormalities occurred in the frontal lobes of the brain. According to Dr. Zulfi Haneef, co-author of the study, this could be linked to the virus's likely entry point in the nose, which is situated close to the frontal lobes.
However, the virus might not be solely responsible for all the damage. Systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, unusually "sticky" blood, and cardiac arrest, may also contribute to EEG abnormalities found beyond the frontal lobes.
The study also noted "diffuse slowing" – a slowing of background electrical activity throughout the brain – in nearly 70% of patients.
Long COVID, a group of ongoing health problems after recovery from the virus, includes "brain fog." A recent, as-of-yet unpublished study discovered that individuals who believe they had COVID-19 performed poorly on an online cognitive test, suggesting cognitive aging of around a decade. This supports concerns about lasting brain effects from the virus.
According to Dr. Haneef, the existence of EEG abnormalities associated with neurological symptoms of COVID-19 only amplifies these concerns. While some patients showed improvements in follow-up EEG tests, it's essential to investigate further to understand the potential long-term brain issues that might persist after recovery.
- COVID-19 patients experiencing neurological symptoms, such as seizures and strokes, have exhibited abnormal findings in electroencephalography (EEG) tests, reveal research studies.
- Approximately one-third of the EEG abnormalities discovered were located in the frontal lobes of the brain, potentially linked to the virus's entry point in the nose.
- Beyond the frontal lobes, systemic effects of the infection, like inflammation, low oxygen levels, and "sticky" blood, may also contribute to the EEG abnormalities observed.
- Long COVID, including symptoms like "brain fog," might have lasting brain effects from the virus, as suggested by the cognitive decline discovered in a recent study, amplifying concerns about potential long-term brain issues that might persist even after recovery.
