Brain's Frontal Lobes Disruption Possible Due to COVID-19 Impact on Electrical Activity
Rewritten Article:
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on our global health, but its impacts have extended far beyond just the lungs. Research is now revealing the profound effects it may have on our brains, particularly through abnormalities on electroencephalography (EEG) tests.
Unraveling the Mystery
Approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 display neurological symptoms such as headaches, confusion, delirium, impaired consciousness, seizures, and strokes[1]. Intrigued by this correlation, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed EEG results from over 600 patients across 84 studies.
Frontal Lobe Findings
Dive into the details, and you'll seethat around a third of the abnormal findings were in the frontal lobes of the brain[2]. With the nose being the most common entry point for the virus[3], some scientists speculate that there may be a connection between the proximity of the frontal lobe and this entryway.
"Given the likely entry point of the virus, it seems logical that we might see more abnormalities in the frontal lobes," explains Dr. Zulfi Haneef, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor[2]."Expanding the use of EEG on a broader range of patients, as well as imaging techniques like MRI or CT scans, will help us understand this connection better," Haneef adds.
Beyond Viral Culprits
However, the virus may not be entirely to blame for the found damage. Systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, unusual blood viscosity, and even cardiac arrest, might play a role in EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes[2].
Long COVID and "Brain Fog"
For those who recover from COVID-19, ongoing health complications have come to light. Labeled "long COVID," these issues include what experts are now referring to as "brain fog." A recent study on MedRxiv suggested that individuals who claim to have had COVID-19 performed less well on an online cognitive test, potentially indicating cognitive aging by around a decade[4].
The link between EEG abnormalities and neurological symptoms of COVID-19 adds fuel to these concerns, emphasized by Dr. Haneef[4]. "There's a lot of uncertainty about the long-term effects of the virus, but these findings point towards potential lasting issues that could affect cognitive function," he explains.
On a positive note, half of the patients who had follow-up EEG tests showed signs of improvement[4]. As research continues, we may uncover more about the relationship between COVID-19 and EEG abnormalities, contributing to better understanding and management of the virus's neurological impacts.
Sources:
- CDC, 2020
- Haneef, Z. et al., 2020
- NIAID, 2020
- Murray, R. et al., 2020
- Despite the initial focus on COVID-19's impact on the lungs, research now indicates that the virus may result in neurological conditions, as approximately 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients experience headaches, confusion, delirium, impaired consciousness, seizures, and strokes.
- Analyzing EEG results from over 600 patients, scientists observed that around a third of the abnormalities were in the frontal lobes of the brain, leading them to speculate that the virus entering the body through the nose might be connected to these findings.
- While the virus may contribute to EEG abnormalities, it's also suspected that infectious complications such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, unusual blood viscosity, and even cardiac arrest may play significant roles in the neurological issues observed beyond the frontal lobes.
