Brain's frontal lobes can experience electrical disruptions due to COVID-19 infection
Breaking Down Brain Activity in COVID-19 Patients
Recent research has shed light on the impact of COVID-19 on brain activity. Studies suggest that neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, and seizures, are present in a significant number of patients, particularly those with severe cases of the virus.
One way doctors diagnose these neurological issues is by administering an electroencephalography (EEG) test. This procedure involves placing electrodes on the scalp to monitor the electrical activity of the brain.
In a comprehensive review, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed EEG results from 617 patients across 84 different studies. They found that abnormal EEG findings were common among COVID-19 patients, with the frontal lobes of the brain being particularly affected.
"It appears the virus likely enters through the nose, which is right next to the frontal lobe," said Dr. Zulfi Haneef, an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor and one of the study's co-authors. "These findings suggest we should be conducting EEGs on a broader range of patients and other types of brain imaging, like MRI or CT scans, to get a closer look at the frontal lobe."
While the virus may not be solely responsible for all the damage, systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest, may play a role in EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
Some COVID-19 survivors report ongoing health issues, now referred to as "long COVID." One of these issues is "brain fog." A recent, yet unpublished study found that individuals who claimed to have had COVID-19 performed poorly on a cognitive test compared to those who did not believe they had contracted the virus.
This study, posted on the preprint server MedRxiv, suggests that the infection may cause cognitive aging by around a decade. However, experts caution that this cross-sectional study does not definitively prove that the infection causes long-term cognitive decline.
"The presence of EEG abnormalities associated with the neurological symptoms of COVID-19 infection adds to our concerns about long-term issues," said Dr. Haneef. "Many people believe they will recover from the illness and return to normal, but these findings indicate there may be long-term issues, which is something we've suspected and now have more evidence to support."
On a positive note, approximately 56.8% of patients who had follow-up EEG tests showed improvements. However, the study did have some limitations, such as a lack of access to raw data and potential sampling biases.
[1] Abnormal background activity in COVID-19 patients suggests underlying changes in brain function.[2] Associations between lung CT findings and brain MRI abnormalities in COVID-19 patients.[3] Emerging evidence of long-term neurological complications in COVID-19 patients.
- The frontal lobes of COVID-19 patients often show abnormal electrical activity, as revealed by EEG tests, indicating potential changes in brain function.
- There seems to be a connection between the lung CT findings in COVID-19 patients and brain MRI abnormalities, suggesting a broader impact of the virus on neurological conditions.
- Long-term neurological complications, such as ongoing cognitive issues and epilepsy seizures, are emerging as concerns for survivors of COVID-19.
- Improvements in neurological conditions, as observed through EEG tests, have been noted in a significant number of COVID-19 patients, offering a glimmer of hope for health and wellness amidst the challenges posed by COVID-19 and related mental health and neurological disorders.
