Brain's Frontal Lobes May Experience Disruption in Electrical Activity Due To COVID-19
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Research suggests that people battling neurological symptoms associated with COVID-19 commonly show abnormalities in their brain activity, as revealed by electroencephalography (EEG) tests. Approximately 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients may experience these neurological symptoms, including headaches, confusion, seizures, and strokes [Source 1].
During an EEG test, electrodes are placed on the scalp to monitor the brain's electrical activity. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed EEG results from 617 patients, uncovered in 84 studies [Source 2].
The researchers spotlighted a correlation between the severity of the disease and the extent of EEG abnormalities. Furthermore, patients with preexisting neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, demonstrated more severe EEG abnormalities [Source 2].
Interestingly, approximately a third of the abnormal findings were clustered in the frontal lobes of the brain, which indicates a potential link with the virus's most common point of entry: the nose [Source 1]. Dr. Zulfi Haneef, one of the study's co-authors, asserts, "These findings tell us that we need to try EEG on a wider range of patients..." [Source 1].
In the wake of COVID-19, reports of lingering health issues, now referred to as long COVID, have emerged. One such issue is "brain fog." A preliminary study, not yet peer-reviewed, suggested that individuals who had COVID-19 fared worse on an online cognitive test than those who didn't believe they had been infected. The researchers posited that the infection may have accelerated cognitive aging by around a decade [Source 3].
While this cross-sectional study doesn't definitively prove long-term cognitive decline, it does spark concerns about the impact of COVID-19 on the brain [Source 3]. Dr. Haneef concurs, stating, "These findings tell us there might be long-term issues..." [Source 3]. On a positive note, the study's authors report that over half of those who underwent follow-up EEG tests showed improvements [Source 2].
The researchers acknowledge several limitations to their analysis, including limited access to raw data, potential reporting biases, and the use of anti-seizure medications, which could obscure signs of seizures in EEG traces [Source 2].
References
- Science Media Centre. (2021). COVID-19 and the brain. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-the-april-2021-scientific-briefings-on-the-nove...
- Kumar, V., Yeh, L. C., Raj, G., Merchant, T. D., & Meinstein, J. L. (2021). Coronavirus disease 2019 and the central nervous system — A review of the literature. [online] ScienceDirect. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1474442220314158
- MedRxiv. (2020). Cognitive abnormalities in patients recovering from COVID-19. [online] Available at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.29.20116556v1
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- The coronavirus pandemic may have long-term impacts on the brain, with some studies suggesting it may accelerate cognitive aging by around a decade.
- Approximately 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients may experience neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, and seizures.
- People with preexisting neurological conditions, like epilepsy, may demonstrate more severe neurological symptoms and EEG abnormalities associated with COVID-19.
- In the study of COVID-19 and the central nervous system, researchers found that approximately a third of EEG abnormalities were clustered in the frontal lobes of the brain, potentially linking the virus's most common point of entry to these findings.
