COVID-19 affects electrical activity in the frontal regions of the brain
COVID-19 digs its claws into more than just our lungs, and a study from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh sheds light on how the virus might impact the brain, specifically the frontal lobes.
Neurological Symptoms and COVID-19:Roughly one in six to four patients with severe COVID-19 might experience neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, seizures, and strokes. When these symptoms crop up, doctors might run electroencephalography (EEG) tests to monitor brain activity.
EEG Tests and COVID-19:An EEG test involves placing electrodes on the scalp to track the brain's electrical activity. Researchers analyzed data from 617 patients across 84 studies to investigate how COVID-19 affects the brain.
The Frontal Lobes and COVID-19:The study found that around a third of the abnormalities showed up in the frontal lobes, which are situated next to the nose—the most likely entry point for the virus. While the virus might not be directly responsible for all the damage, systemic effects of the infection, like inflammation, low oxygen levels, or cardiac arrest, could play a part in the EEG abnormalities.
Long-term Effects and Brain Fog:Some people who've recovered from COVID-19 report ongoing health issues, often known as "long COVID." One of these difficulties is "brain fog." A recent, but unpublished study suggests that COVID-19 might cause cognitive decline similar to aging by about a decade.
These EEG abnormalities fuel fears that COVID-19 might have long-term effects on the brain. However, there's still a lot we don't know, and more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between COVID-19, the brain, and neurological symptoms.
[1] Neurological Complications in COVID-19[2] Brain Structure and COVID-19-Related Cognitive Impairments[3] EEG Abnormalities in Neurological Conditions[4] Long-term Neurological Effects of COVID-19
- The coronavirus, in addition to infecting the lungs, may also induce neurological complications in up to one in six to four patients with severe COVID-19, leading to symptoms like epilepsy seizures, headaches, confusion, and strokes.
- As COVID-19 seems to have an impact on the brain, particularly the frontal lobes, medical-health professionals are increasingly concerned about the potential long-term effects this virus may have on health-and-wellness and mental-health, including neurological-disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
- The use of electroencephalography (EEG) tests can help doctors monitor brain activity in patients experiencing these neurological symptoms, allowing them to study abnormalities caused by COVID-19 and better understand its impact on both short-term and long-term brain function.
- Scientists have already started researching the long-term neurological effects of COVID-19, with findings suggesting that the virus may lead to cognitive decline reminiscent of aging, thus adding to the growing body of knowledge about the numerous ways in which the coronavirus impacts the brain and other medical-conditions.
