Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Potentially Affected by COVID-19
COVID-19's impact on the brain isn't just another statistic, it's a game-changer for some patients. A review of multiple studies indicates that roughly 15-25% of severe COVID-19 cases could exhibit neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, and seizures, among others. To get a closer look, doctors often subject patients to an EEG test, which tracks the electrical activity in the brain.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed EEG results from 617 patients, all reported in 84 different studies. The median age of these patients was 61.3 years, with a majority being males. Notably, around a third of the abnormal findings were in the frontal lobes of the brain.
Dr. Zulfi Haneef, assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor, shares that the virus likely gains entry through the nose, situated near the frontal lobe. Haneef believes this link warrants more comprehensive use of EEG tests and other brain imaging techniques such as MRIs or CT scans to examine the frontal lobe.
While the virus could be the primary culprit for some damage, other factors like inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest could play a part in the EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes. In fact, the study found "diffuse slowing" in the background electrical activity of the whole brain in nearly 70% of patients.
But the story doesn't end there; people who've recovered from COVID-19 often experience persistent health problems, now known as "long COVID." One common complaint is "brain fog." Interestingly, in a recent, yet unpublished study, individuals who self-reported having COVID-19 scored lower on an online cognitive test than those with no such claims. The study suggests COVID-19 could age an individual's cognitive abilities by about a decade.
Expert opinions, however, question the study's causality, solely indicating a need for further research into possible long-term effects on the brain. Still, the presence of EEG abnormalities linked to COVID-19's neurological symptoms adds to these growing concerns.
On a positive note, nearly 57% of patients showed improvements in follow-up EEG tests. However, several limitations in the study persist, like the lack of access to individual study data and the possibility of disproportionate EEG use on patients with neurological symptoms. Moreover, the administering of anti-seizure medications to suspected seizure patients could potentially obscure symptoms in their EEG traces.
- The coronavirus, specifically COVID-19, has been linked to a variety of neurological disorders, including epilepsy seizures, among other symptoms.
- Science continues to delve into the impact of COVID-19 on the brain, with a recent study focusing on brain electrical activity through EEG tests, revealing potential abnormalities.
- Health and wellness issues extend beyond just the physical; mental health and neurological disorders like those linked to COVID-19 are also crucial concerns.
- Fitness and exercise, while important for overall health, may help alleviate some symptoms associated with neurological disorders, like those related to COVID-19, but further research is needed.
- CBD, with its known benefits in handling inflammation and seizures, could potentially play a role in managing some of the neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19, although more medical-condition-specific research is necessary.
