Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Potentially Altered by COVID-19
Approximately 15-25% of patients with severe COVID-19 may experience neurological symptoms, according to research. These symptoms can include headaches, confusion, seizures, and strokes. When patients present with such symptoms, doctors may refer them for an electroencephalography (EEG) test, which involves monitoring the electrical activity of the brain with electrodes placed on the scalp.
Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed EEG results from 617 patients, reported in 84 different studies. They found that the most common electrical abnormalities were slowing of brain waves and abnormal discharges. Interestingly, these abnormalities were more pronounced in patients with preexisting neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, and in those with more severe disease.
Approximately one-third of the abnormal findings were in the frontal lobes of the brain, leading researchers to consider the role of the nose, the likely entry point for the virus, in these abnormalities. However, the researchers noted that the virus may not be directly responsible for all the damage, as systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest, may play a role in EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
The journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy published the review. It should be noted that this is an analysis of previously published research and does not represent new primary research.
Some people who have recovered from COVID-19 report ongoing health problems, now labeled long COVID. Among these is "brain fog." A recent, non-peer-reviewed study suggested 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, potentially indicating lasting effects on the brain. However, experts caution that this study does not prove that the infection caused long-term cognitive decline.
On the positive side, the authors of the EEG review found that 56.8% of those who had follow-up EEG tests showed improvements. It is important to note that their analysis had several limitations, including lack of access to raw data from individual studies, potential skewing of results due to doctors performing more EEGs on patients with neurological symptoms, and the possible obscuring of signs of seizures due to the administration of anti-seizure medications.
While more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between COVID-19, EEG abnormalities, disease severity, and preexisting conditions, these findings add to concerns about potential long-term issues related to the brain and COVID-19. It is hoped that further study will shed light on this area and help inform medical treatment and management for patients who have been affected by the virus.
- The research on neurological symptoms in patients with severe COVID-19 indicates that seizures are among the symptoms that may be experienced.
- The study by Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh found that patients with preexisting medical conditions like epilepsy and those with more severe COVID-19 had more pronounced electrical abnormalities in their EEG results.
- The analysis of previously published EEG results reveals that some people who had COVID-19 and had follow-up tests showed improvements, although more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between the virus and potential long-term issues related to the brain.
- There are concerns about potential long-term mental health and neurological disorders that could be associated with COVID-19, as some individuals who have recovered from the virus report ongoing health problems, such as "brain fog." However, it is important to note that these findings are preliminary and further study is needed to confirm their validity and to inform medical treatment and management.
