Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Potentially Affected by COVID-19
Covid-19's Impact on the Brain: A Look at EEG Test Results
vaccine misinformation, coronavirus, covid-19, brain function, neurological symptoms
Covid-19 doesn't just affect lung function or the immune system; it's been linked to a range of neurological symptoms as well. According to studies, around 15-25% of patients with severe covid-19 may experience issues such as headaches, confusion, delirium, impaired consciousness, seizures, and strokes.
To better understand how covid-19 affects the brain, researchers analyzed EEG results from 617 patients reported in 84 different studies. The team found some troubling trends:
- Slow brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges were common in these patients.
- The brain abnormalities intensified with the severity of the disease and were more pronounced in patients with underlying neurological conditions, such as epilepsy.
While Covid-19 might not be directly responsible for all the brain damage, the virus could still play a role in the EEG abnormalities beyond the frontal lobes.
So, where does Covid-19 typically enter the body? "It seems there's a connection between the frontal lobe, which is located directly next to the virus's entry point in the nose," explains Dr. Zulfi Haneef, an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor College of Medicine. This dichotomy highlights the need for wider EEG testing among patients with various covid-19 symptoms and for additional imaging tests like MRI or CT scans to examine the frontal lobe more closely.
What about those experiencing ongoing health issues following the recovery from covid-19? Now referred to as "long covid," one of the most reported problems is "brain fog." Though more research is needed in this area, a study suggests that the infection may cause an age-related cognitive decline of about a decade. This finding further supports concerns about lingering covid-19 effects on the brain.
On a positive note, almost 57% of patients who underwent follow-up EEG tests showed improvements. However, there were several limitations to this study, such as a lack of access to raw data, biased reporting of EEG results, and the possible obscuring of seizure signs due to anti-seizure medication administration.
For comprehensive covid-19 resources or the latest developments, check out our coronavirus hub. If you're curious about other neurological conditions and how EEG can be used to diagnose them, research is available on conditions like depression[5]. Keep in mind that this information may change as researchers continue to explore the connections between covid-19 and neurological symptoms.
- The coronavirus, specifically Covid-19, has been linked to a variety of neurological symptoms, including seizures, in some patients with severe cases.
- Underlying medical conditions, such as epilepsy, may intensify the brain abnormalities seen in Covid-19 patients, according to research analyzing EEG results.
- Despite some improvements seen in follow-up EEG tests among Covid-19 patients, ongoing research is necessary to fully understand the lingering effects of the virus on the brain and cognitive health.
