Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Disrupted Due to COVID-19
The curl of a virus handling the brain's frontal lobe, while not exactly a dance, seems to be a common waltz for many COVID-19 patients. A whopping 15-25% of severe cases exhibit neurological symptoms, such as headaches, foggy thinking, seizures, and strokes – a choreography that's as tricky as a tango.
Now, when bodily symptoms start exhibiting a certain rhythm, it's only natural for doctors to take a peek at what's going on behind the scenes, and that's where electroencephalography (EEG) tests come crashing in. These nifty little tests monitor the brain's electrical activity, placing electrodes on the scalp to dance with brain waves.
Being quite the sleuths, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh decided to dig deeper, analyzing EEG results from 617 patients from 84 different studies. Against the backdrop of the pandemic, they found more than a few abnormal moves.
The average patient under scanner was 61 years old, with two-thirds being male. The most common findings? Halted brain waves and disrupted electrical signals. But here's the catch: the intensity of these abnormalities directly correlated with the severity of the disease and any pre-existing neurological issues, such as epilepsy.
But hold your horses, because it's not as simple as blaming the virus for all the drama. Other systemic effects of the infection, like inflammation, low oxygen levels, blood clotting issues, and even heart complications might play a supporting role in these brain malfunctions that don't just stop in the frontal lobes.
And speaking of the frontal lobes, they seem to be the most affected zone. With the virus snaking its way into the nose, there appears to be a connection with the brain area that's right next door. Dr. Zulfi Haneef, assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor, thinks this merits a closer examination, suggesting more EEG tests and other imaging techniques like MRI or CT scans to get a closer look at the frontal lobe.
However, it's not all doom and gloom. The study found that 56.8% of patients showed some form of improvement during follow-up EEG tests. But with ongoing concerns about long-term cognitive decline— a phenomenon known as "brain fog"— it's crucial to stay on our toes, keeping a close eye on our gray matter.
Lastly, grab a front-row seat for the ongoing saga of COVID-19 and its brutal dance with the brain. For the latest developments, click here.
- The coronavirus, like a relentless dancer, has been found to impact the brain's frontal lobe in many COVID-19 patients, causing symptoms such as seizures, headaches, and strokes.
- In an attempt to decipher the complexity of these neurological symptoms, researchers conducted electroencephalography (EEG) tests, monitoring brain waves by placing electrodes on the scalp.
- Analyzing data from 617 patients, researchers found an abundance of abnormalities in the brain's electrical activity, which correlated directly with the severity of the disease and any pre-existing neurological conditions, like epilepsy.
- It's not just the virus to blame for these brain malfunctions; systemic effects of the infection, including inflammation, low oxygen levels, blood clotting issues, and heart complications might be contributing factors.
- The frontal lobes, adjacent to the entry point of the virus in the nose, seem to be the most affected zone, making further examination necessary.
- If there's a silver lining, it's that over half of the patients showed improvement during follow-up EEG tests. However, concerns about long-term cognitive decline, or "brain fog", necessitate vigilance.
- As the COVID-19 saga unfolds, keep abreast of the latest developments in the dance between the virus and the brain.
- In the realm of health and wellness, it's essential to stay informed about not only climate change, mental health, nutrition, aging, and fitness and exercise but also the potential impact of diseases like COVID-19 on neurological disorders and environmental science, even venturing into the mysteries of space and astronomy.
