Disruption of Electrical Activity in Frontal Lobes of Brain Possible Due to COVID-19 Impact
Severe COVID-19 cases often lead to neurological symptoms, such as headaches, seizures, and strokes, according to recent research. These symptoms are frequently associated with abnormalities in EEG tests, which measure the electrical activity of the brain.
Approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 may experience neurological symptoms. To explore the impact of the virus on the brain, researchers analyzed EEG results from 617 patients. The study, published in the journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, found that a third of the abnormal findings were in the frontal lobes of the brain.
Doctors may refer patients who are experiencing neurological symptoms for an EEG test, which involves placing electrodes on the scalp. The most common findings in this study were the slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges. The extent of the EEG abnormalities was found to correlate with the severity of the disease and the presence of pre-existing neurological conditions, such as epilepsy.
Dr. Zulfi Haneef, one of the co-authors of the study, believes that the virus may be responsible for the damage in the frontal lobes due to its probable entry point in the nose. However, the researchers also note that systemic effects of the infection may contribute to EEG abnormalities beyond the frontal lobes.
The study identified "diffuse slowing" in the background electrical activity of the whole brain in almost 70% of patients. Ongoing health problems, now labeled "long COVID," including "brain fog," have been reported by some individuals who have recovered from the virus. While a recent study suggests that the infection may have aged people cognitively by around a decade, further research is needed to confirm whether COVID-19 causes long-term cognitive decline.
In a positive note, the authors report that 56.8% of those who had follow-up EEG tests showed improvements. The authors acknowledge several limitations in their analysis, including lack of access to raw data from individual studies, potential biases in the reporting of EEG results, and the possible obscuring of seizure signs by anti-seizure medications. For the most recent COVID-19 information, visit our coronavirus hub.
The coronavirus, responsible for severe COVID-19 cases, has been linked to neurological symptoms like seizures, headaches, and strokes, according to recent research. Approximately a third of these abnormalities occurred in the frontal lobes of the brain, as identified in a study analyzing EEG results from 617 patients. The extent of EEG abnormalities was found to correlate with the severity of the disease and the presence of pre-existing neurological conditions, such as epilepsy.
