Brain's frontal lobe electrical activity may be disturbed due to COVID-19 infection
Covid-19 and the Mystery of the Brain's Frontal Lobe
Research suggests that a substantial number of patients with neurological symptoms related to Covid-19 may have abnormalities in their frontal lobes, as highlighted by electroencephalography (EEG) tests.
🔍 Covid-19 Statistics
So, what are the odds that a patient with severe Covid-19 experiences neurological symptoms? Approximately 15-25% is the ballpark figure, with symptoms ranging from headaches and confusion to seizures and strokes. When such symptoms appear, doctors might recommend EEG tests, which involve placing electrodes on the scalp to measure brain activity.
💡 Taking a Deeper Look at the Brain
To investigate the impact of Covid-19 on the brain, researchers from two prestigious institutions—Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, and the University of Pittsburgh, PA—analyzed EEG results from a substantial group of patients, information gathered from 84 various studies. Their findings showed that the frontal lobes of the brain were the most common area with abnormalities.
"Since the virus seems to usually enter through the nose, there appears to be a link between the frontal lobe, the brain region situated right next to that entry point," notes Dr. Zulfi Haneef, an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor and a co-author of the study.
While it's still unclear if the virus directly causes all the observed damage, other factors, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest, could contribute to EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobe.
💡 Brain Fog and Long-Term Effects
Some Covid-19 survivors have reported ongoing health concerns, now commonly referred to as "long Covid." One of these issues is "brain fog," a term used to describe difficulties with thinking, memory, and concentration.
A recent study found that individuals who believe they have had Covid-19 performed worse on cognitive tests than those who did not think they contracted the virus. This suggests that Covid-19 might cause significant, lasting damage to cognitive abilities, aging people's minds by about a decade.
While further studies are required to confirm these findings, the possible long-term effects on the brain are a growing concern. The discovery of EEG abnormalities associated with Covid-19's neurological symptoms adds to these worries, notes Dr. Haneef. "There's a good chance that even after recovering, people might face long-term issues, which we've suspected for a while and now have more evidence to support," he adds.
💡 Promising Signs
On a positive note, approximately 56.8% of patients with follow-up EEG tests showed improvements.
❗ Limitations and Skewed Results
The study had a few limitations. For instance, researchers didn't have access to raw data from individual studies and might have missed many normal EEGs, while performing disproportionately more EEGs on patients with neurological symptoms. In addition, doctors often administered anti-seizure medications to suspected seizure patients, which may have obscured EEG trace signs of seizures.
So, while we gain more insight into how Covid-19 affects the brain, dedicated research focusing specifically on its impact on the frontal lobe using EEG is still needed to fully understand this intricate relationship. 🚀
- It's estimated that roughly 15-25% of severe Covid-19 patients may exhibit neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, seizures, and strokes.
- EEG tests, which measure brain activity, are often recommended when these symptoms appear.
- Researchers have found that the frontal lobes of the brain are the most common area with abnormalities in Covid-19 patients, according to a study from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh.
- Beyond the frontal lobe, factors such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest could contribute to the EEG abnormalities observed in Covid-19 patients.
- Some Covid-19 survivors have reported ongoing cognitive issues, including brain fog, which may indicate significant, lasting damage to their cognitive abilities.
- While further research is needed, the study suggests that even after recovery, patients might face long-term neurological issues related to Covid-19.
