Brain's Frontal Lobes Electric Activity Disrupted by COVID-19
The coronavirus,COVID-19, has been linked to a wide range of neurological symptoms in some patients, with an estimated one-quarter of severe cases experiencing side effects like headaches, confusion, and seizures.
Routine electroencephalography (EEG) tests, which monitor the brain's electrical activity by placing electrodes on the scalp, can help identify such issues. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, and the University of Pittsburgh, PA, analyzed EEG results from 617 patients to understand how COVID-19 affects the brain.
Notably, around a third of the abnormal findings were found in the frontal lobes, leading Dr. Zulfi Haneef, co-author of the study, to speculate a link between the virus's entry point in the nose and the nearby frontal lobe. Haneef believes further investigation through EEG and other imaging techniques is essential to get a closer look at this region.
However, the researchers caution that the virus likely isn't responsible for all the damage seen in the EEG tests. Systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, sticky blood, and heart complications, may contribute to the brain abnormalities found beyond the frontal lobes.
A recent study hinted at long-term cognitive issues, or "brain fog," among recovering COVID-19 patients. However, experts emphasize that this preliminary study doesn't definitively prove that the infection causes lasting cognitive decline.
On the flip side, the authors of the EEG study reported that more than half of the patients showed improvements following follow-up tests. Despite limitations, such as access to raw data and potential skewing of results due to hospitals focusing EEGs on patients with neurological symptoms, the discovery of widespread EEG abnormalities certainly adds to concerns about the long-term neurological consequences of COVID-19.
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- COVID-19, a neurological symptom associated with the coronavirus, has been linked to seizures, headaches, and confusion in some severe cases.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) tests, which measure the brain's electrical activity, can help identify such neurological issues in COVID-19 patients.
- A study, conducted by researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh, analyzed EEG results from 617 patients to understand how COVID-19 affects the brain.
- The study revealed that around a third of the abnormal EEG findings were found in the frontal lobes, suggesting a potential link between COVID-19 and neurological disorders.
- However, the researchers warned that the virus might not be solely responsible for the brain abnormalities found in the EEG tests, as systemic effects of the infection could also contribute.
- Despite limitations, the discovery of widespread EEG abnormalities in COVID-19 patients adds to concerns about the long-term neurological consequences of the virus, potentially including cognitive issues and mental health problems.
