COVID-19 and Brain Abnormalities: A Look Beyond the Virus
Brain's Frontal Lobes' Electrical Activity May Be Impacted by COVID-19
Research is shedding light on neurological symptoms experienced by a significant portion of severe COVID-19 patients, with brain abnormalities identified through Electroencephalography (EEG) tests becoming a common occurrence. Here's a laid-back breakdown of the findings.
The Extent of the Issue
Approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 may experience neurological symptoms. These can range from headaches to more serious issues like strokes and seizures. To investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the brain, researchers analyzed EEG results from 617 patients, documented in 84 different studies.
Front and Center: EEG Findings
The most frequent findings were the slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges - with nearly one-third of the abnormalities detected in the front of the brain. This has led some experts to hypothesize a correlation between the virus's entry point (the nose) and the affected brain area (the frontal lobe).
Despite this intriguing theory, the study indicates that the virus may not be directly responsible for all the damage. Systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest, may also contribute to EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
Brain Fog: Long COVID's StickyNote
Some COVID-19 survivors report ongoing health issues collectively referred to as 'long COVID'. One of these issues is 'brain fog', which some research suggests may be caused by cognitive aging effects associated with COVID-19 infection. Although this particular study has not undergone peer-review, it raises concerns about the long-term impacts of the virus on the brain.
wider analysis
The researchers note several limitations in their analysis, such as the lack of access to raw data from individual studies, potential omission of reported normal EEGs, and the disproportionate focus on patients with neurological symptoms. Additionally, doctors often administered antiseizure medications to suspected seizure patients, potentially masking EEG signs of seizures.
Bottom Line
While more research is needed to establish a direct correlation between EEG abnormalities and COVID-19 severity, particularly in relation to the frontal lobes, the overall neurological impacts of COVID-19 hint at systemic inflammation and microglial dysfunction potentially messing with brain function. So, keep an eye on your noggin and stay safe out there, folks!
[1] Neurological impact of COVID-19: a systemic review. Published in Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy.[2] Microglial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis. Published in Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology.
- The neurological symptoms experienced by a significant portion of severe COVID-19 patients, such as epilepsy seizures, may not be explicitly caused by the coronavirus itself, but could be due to systemic effects like inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest.
- In a wider analysis, researchers have acknowledged several limitations in their study, including the lack of access to raw data, potential omission of reported normal EEGs, and the disproportionate focus on patients with neurological symptoms, which might have implications for other medical conditions, like mental health, health-and-wellness, and neurological disorders.
- Despite these hurdles, the study suggests a correlation between coronavirus and brain abnormalities, particularly slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges, often detected in the front of the brain, which could have implications for neurological disorders such as epilepsy.
- Furthermore, the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the brain and potential contribution to the development of cognitive disorders, like brain fog, need to be closely monitored, especially as research on the relationship between COVID-19 and various mental health issues becomes more prevalent.
