COVID-19 has the potential to interfere with electrical activity in the frontal lobe regions of the brain
Study Suggests Frontal Lobe Abnormalities in COVID-19 Patients with Neurological Symptoms
A comprehensive review of research finds that approximately 15-25% of severe COVID-19 patients may experience neurological symptoms, with abnormalities in the frontal regions of the brain being a common finding in these patients, as detected by electroencephalography (EEG) tests.
According to the data, which was analyzed from 617 patients in 84 studies, doctors often refer patients with neurological symptoms, such as headaches, confusion, delirium, impaired consciousness, seizures, and strokes, for EEG tests, which involve monitoring the electrical activity of the brain by placing electrodes on the scalp.
The researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, and the University of Pittsburgh, PA, discovered that the extent of EEG abnormalities positively correlates with the severity of the disease and whether the patients have preexisting neurological conditions, such as epilepsy.
Around a third of the abnormal findings were in the frontal lobes of the brain. Dr. Zulfi Haneef, assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor, suggests that the most likely entry point for the virus is the nose, raising the possibility of a connection between the frontal lobe and COVID-19.
Haneef adds that, while the virus may not be directly responsible for all the damage, systemic effects of the infection, such as inflammation, low oxygen levels, unusually "sticky" blood, and cardiac arrest, might play a role in EEG abnormalities that extend beyond the frontal lobes.
Nearly 70% of patients exhibited "diffuse slowing" in the background electrical activity of the entire brain. Some experts have suggested that the infection may trigger cognitive decline, which, in turn, might exacerbate EEG abnormalities.
Although more than half of the patients with follow-up EEG tests showed improvements, the researchers emphasize the need for further research to better understand the link between COVID-19 and EEG abnormalities, as the current study had limitations, such as lack of access to raw EEG data and potential biases in the selection and reporting of EEG results.
Sources:- [1] [Case Report] SARS-CoV-2 infection presenting as brain death, Journal of Medical Virology, 2020.- [2] Abnormal EEG is associated with increased mortality and more severe disease in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, Neurology, 2019.
- The study on COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms reveals that approximately 15-25% of severe cases might experience seizures, one of the neurological disorders linked to the virus.
- In the review of research on COVID-19, it was found that around a third of the patients exhibiting neurological symptoms, such as epilepsy, had abnormalities in their frontal lobes, as detected by EEG tests.
- As part of the health-and-wellness conversation, it's important to note that science is still trying to understand the intricate relationship between COVID-19, EEG abnormalities, and various medical conditions like epilepsy and other neurological disorders.
