Disruption of Electrical Activity in the Frontal Lobes of the Brain May Occur due to COVID-19
Revised Review of COVID-19's Impact on the Brain
Let's dive into the findings of a recent analysis on how the coronavirus affects the brain. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh looked at EEG results from over 600 patients, reported in 80 studies. The median age of these patients was 61.3 years, and an impressive two-thirds were male.
General Wisdom: Neurological symptoms, like headaches, confusion, and seizures, have been reported in approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 cases. These patients might undergo EEG tests, which involve placing electrodes on the scalp to measure brain activity.
Detecting Damage: The researchers found that around a third of these EEG abnormalities occurred in the frontal lobes, suggesting a connection with the virus's likely entry point – the nose. Dr. Zulfi Haneef, one of the co-authors, explains, "These findings tell us that we should test EEG on a wider range of patients, and other types of brain imaging, to get a closer look at the frontal lobe."
However, the researchers noted that the virus might not be solely responsible for the detected damage. Inflammation, low oxygen levels, sticky blood, and cardiac arrest might play a role in EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
Brain Fog Concerns: Some individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 report ongoing health issues, such as brain fog. A recent, yet-to-be-published study found that those who claim to have had COVID-19 perform worse on cognitive tests, possibly suggesting an aging effect on the brain. While this doesn't definitively prove long-term cognitive decline, it does raise concerns about lasting effects on the brain.
Dr. Haneef explains, "There might be long-term issues that people think will go away once they recover, but these findings tell us otherwise." On a positive note, 56.8% of those who had follow-up EEG tests showed improvements.
As with any research, limitations exist. For instance, the study authors couldn't access raw data from individual studies, and some results might have been skewed due to the disproportionate number of EEG tests performed on patients with neurological symptoms. Additionally, anti-seizure medications given to suspected seizure patients might have concealed EEG trace signs.
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*Reference: [1] University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences, "Brain abnormalities common in COVID-19 patients, Baylor, Pitt study finds" (2020), [link]
Medical-Conditions Connected: The study on COVID-19's impact on the brain found a connection between epilepsy and seizures as neurological symptoms in some patients, with about 15-25% of severe cases reporting these issues.
COVID-19 and Mental Health: Some people who have recovered from COVID-19 experience ongoing health issues, such as brain fog, which could be linked to mental health. A recent study found that those who claimed to have had COVID-19 performed poorly on cognitive tests, raising questions about long-term cognitive decline and lifelong mental health effects.
Health-and-Wellness Warning: The research suggests that COVID-19 might not only cause immediate brain damage but also leave lasting effects, which may initially appear as mild symptoms like brain fog. Health-conscious individuals should be aware of the potential long-term impacts of the virus on their brain and mental health.
Science and Coronavirus: The study by researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh has provided valuable insights into how COVID-19 affects the brain, but further research using brain imaging and EEG tests is needed to better understand the neurological repercussions of the virus on various mental health conditions like epilepsy and cognitive function.
