Brain's Frontal Lobes Affected by COVID-19, Potentially Altering Electrical Activity
Rewritten Article:
COVID-19 research suggests a link between neurological issues and abnormalities in the frontal lobe region of the brain, as detected by Electroencephalography (EEG) tests in patients experiencing symptoms.
Coronavirus Data
The coronavirus landscape is rapidly evolving. For the latest updates, check out our coronavirus hub. Reports vary, but approximately 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients might experience neurological signs like headaches, confusion, impaired consciousness, seizures, and strokes. Medical professionals may recommend an EEG test for patients displaying such symptoms. The test involves electrodes placed on the scalp to monitor brain electrical activity.
A team of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, and the University of Pittsburgh, PA, analyzed EEG results from 617 patients collected in 84 different studies. The median age of these patients was 61.3 years, and ⅔ of them were male.
The researchers discovered that abnormally slow brain waves and irregular electrical discharges were the most common findings. Interestingly, the extent of the EEG abnormalities was linked to the severity of the disease and the presence of preexisting neurological conditions such as epilepsy.
This research was published in the journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy.
"We think that the most probable entry point for the virus is the nose, so there appears to be a connection between the brain area situated adjacent to that entry point," says Dr. Zulfi Haneef, an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor and one of the study's co-authors. "Given these findings, we suggest conducting EEG tests on a broader range of patients, as well as exploring other imaging techniques, like MRI or CT scans, which will allow us to examine the frontal lobe in more detail."
However, the researchers caution that the virus might not be the sole culprit behind all the damage. Other factors, including inflammation, low oxygen levels, sticky blood, and cardiac arrest, could potentially contribute to EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
The study identified diffuse slowing in the background electrical activity of nearly 70% of the patients.
Brain Fog
Many COVID-19 survivors have reported ongoing health issues, commonly referred to as long COVID. Among these, cognitive issues such as “brain fog” have become a concern. A recent study, yet to be peer-reviewed or published, but available on the preprint server MedRxiv, indicates that individuals who claim to have had COVID-19 performed poorly on an online cognitive test compared to those who believe they did not catch the virus.
Experts consulted by the Science Media Centre in London, United Kingdom, indicate that this cross-sectional study does not conclusively prove long-term cognitive decline from COVID-19. Nevertheless, it raises red flags about potential lasting effects on the brain.
"It's clear that EEG abnormalities associated with the neurological symptoms of COVID-19 infection add to these concerns," states Dr. Haneef. "Many people think they'll recover from the illness and return to normal, but these findings suggest there may be long-term problems, which we've long suspected and now can back up with more evidence."
On the brighter side, 56.8% of patients with follow-up EEG tests showed improvements.
The authors highlight several limitations in their research, including limited access to raw individual study data, potential exclusion of normal EEG findings, and an uneven focus on EEGs for patients with neurological symptoms, which might sway the results. Additionally, doctors often administered anti-seizure medications to patients suspected of having seizures, potentially obscuring evidence of seizures in EEG traces.
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### Enrichment Data: The search results show that COVID-19 can lead to various neurological symptoms like headaches and seizures. Neurological disorders associated with COVID-19 can range from mild to severe. EEG can be useful in diagnosing and monitoring neurological conditions, although specific data on EEG abnormalities in COVID-19 neurological cases is limited in the search results. The relationship between EEG findings, disease severity, and preexisting conditions warrants further research for a comprehensive understanding of the issue.
- COVID-19 research indicates a connection between neurological issues and abnormalities in the frontal lobe region of the brain, as detected by Electroencephalography (EEG) tests.
- Approximately 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients might experience neurological symptoms like seizures, strokes, and epilepsy, prompting medical professionals to recommend EEG tests.
- A study by researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh discovered that abnormally slow brain waves and irregular electrical discharges were the most common EEG findings in COVID-19 patients, and the extent of these abnormalities was linked to the severity of the disease and the presence of preexisting neurological conditions.
- EEG abnormalities associated with neurological symptoms of COVID-19 infections raise concerns about potential long-term problems for victims, as many survivors report ongoing health issues like "brain fog", and a recent study indicates cognitive issues in COVID-19 patients compared to non-infected individuals.
