Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Disrupted by COVID-19
Neurological Symptoms in COVID-19 Patients Linked to Brain Abnormalities Identified by EEG Tests
Recent research indicates that patients with COVID-19 who exhibit neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, and seizures, tend to display abnormalities in the frontal lobe of the brain detected through electroencephalography (EEG) tests.
Approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 may experience neurological symptoms, according to available statistics. Medical professionals may refer such patients for EEG testing to assess electrical activity in the brain.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, and the University of Pittsburgh, PA, compiled EEG results from 617 patients, as reported in 84 separate studies. Among the abnormalities identified were slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges, with around a third of the abnormalities occurring in the frontal lobes.
The study's authors noted that the virus may not be wholly responsible for the damage observed in EEG results, as systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation and oxygen depletion, may contribute to electrical abnormalities outside the frontal lobes.
Dr. Zulfi Haneef, an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor, emphasized the need to expand EEG testing and other brain imaging techniques to obtain a more detailed view of the frontal lobe's condition. Haneef also pointed out that the potential links between the virus's point of entry in the nose and the proximity of the frontal lobe to this area warrant further investigation.
The journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy published the review. For more information on COVID-19, visit our coronavirus hub.
Recent findings suggest that individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 and report ongoing health problems, now known as long COVID, may experience cognitive impairment, or "brain fog." A study, yet to be peer-reviewed or published, found that those who believed they had contracted the virus performed less well on an online cognitive test than individuals who did not, with the authors estimating a decade of cognitive aging.
According to experts consulted by the Science Media Centre in London, this cross-sectional study does not definitively prove that the infection caused long-term cognitive decline. However, it introduces concerns about potential long-term effects on the brain.
Around 56.8% of patients who underwent follow-up EEG tests showed signs of improvement. The study had some limitations, such as limited access to raw data and under-reporting of normal EEG results, implying a need for future, more in-depth research in this area.
For up-to-date information about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, visit our coronavirus hub.
[Enrichment Data Integration]The research revealed structural, compositional, and functional changes in the frontal lobes of patients who had recovered from COVID-19. These changes could be linked to symptoms such as cognitive disruptions, fatigue, depression, and headaches. Other studies have indicated diminished volume and cortical thinning in the frontal lobe among long COVID patients, suggesting a structural impact on this region.
EEG may be useful for detecting functional abnormalities in some COVID-19 patients displaying neurological symptoms. However, more targeted research is required to establish its specific diagnostic utility in this context.
- The study published in Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy suggests that individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 may experience ongoing health problems, including cognitive impairment or "brain fog."
- Researchers have found structural, compositional, and functional changes in the frontal lobes of patients who had recovered from COVID-19, which could be linked to symptoms such as cognitive disruptions, fatigue, and headaches.
- Aside from neurological symptoms observed in active COVID-19 patients, there is also growing evidence that long COVID may have long-term effects on the brain, particularly the frontal lobes, necessitating further research in this area.
