Brain's Frontal Lobes' Electrical Activity Potentially Affected by COVID-19
Living with the aftermath: Brain abnormalities and neurological symptoms in COVID-19 patients
Grab a cup of joe and settle in, because we're diving into some fascinating research about COVID-19's impact on the brain.
A wave of neurological concerns
Upwards of 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients have reported experiencing neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, delirium, and impaired consciousness, seizures, and even strokes. To help diagnose these issues, doctors may refer patients for an electroencephalography (EEG) test, where electrodes are placed on the scalp to monitor the electrical activity of the brain.
Frontal lobe abnormalities
Roughly a third of EEG abnormalities were detected in the frontal lobes of the brain. Dr. Zulfi Haneef, co-author of a recent study and an assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor College of Medicine, shares his insight: "The most likely entry point for the virus is the nose, so there seems to be a connection between the part of the brain that is located directly next to that entry point."
Systemic effects and long-term implications
The virus may not be directly responsible for all the damage observed in EEG tests. Systemic effects, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, unusually "sticky" blood, and cardiac arrest, may also contribute to the EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
Brain fog and long COVID
Some people who have recovered from COVID-19 report ongoing health complications now labeled as "long COVID." Among these is cognitive impairment or "brain fog," which some studies suggest might be the result of cognitive aging by around a decade.
Age, EEG testing, and skewed results
A recent study found that individuals who claim to have had COVID-19 performed less well on an online cognitive test than those who did not believe they had contracted the virus. However, experts highlight that this study does not prove that the infection caused long-term cognitive decline, but it does conjure up concerns about the lasting effects on the brain.
The study identified "diffuse slowing" in the background electrical activity of the whole brain in almost 70% of patients. Despite this finding, the analysis had several limitations, such as a lack of access to raw data from individual studies, omitted normal EEGs, and disproportionate EEGs focused on patients with neurological symptoms.
Takeaways and the path forward
The findings from EEG tests and cognitive studies add to the growing concerns about COVID-19's impact on the brain. However, it's crucial to acknowledge the limitations of the current research, as well as the need for more comprehensive exploration into the relationship between neurological symptoms, cognitive impairment, and EEG test findings. Additionally, it's promising to know that about half of those who had follow-up EEG tests showed improvements.
In the meantime, efforts focused on EEG tests and brain imaging, such as MRI or CT scans, can help us better understand the lasting effects of COVID-19 on the brain and offer steps to combat long-term issues for those who have recovered.
- Neurological symptoms like headaches, confusion, seizures, and strokes have been reported in 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients, and doctors use electroencephalography (EEG) tests to diagnose these issues.
- A third of EEG abnormalities are detected in the frontal lobes of the brain, suggesting a connection between the virus entry point in the nose and related brain abnormalities.
- Systemic effects from inflammation, low oxygen levels, sticky blood, and cardiac arrest may also contribute to EEG abnormalities beyond the frontal lobes.
- Some COVID-19 survivors suffer from cognitive impairment, or "brain fog," which could be linked to long-term COVID symptoms.
- A study found that individuals who claim to have had COVID-19 performed less well on an online cognitive test, raising concerns about long-term cognitive decline, although further research is needed.
- EEG tests and brain imaging, like MRI or CT scans, can help us better comprehend the lasting effects of COVID-19 on the brain and provide solutions for long-term issues in recovered patients.
