COVID-19 Alters Electrical Functions in Frontal Lobes of the Brain
Freshened Perspective on COVID-19's Impact on the Brain
Research indicates a connection between COVID-19 and neurological symptoms, with up to a quarter of severe cases potentially experiencing these issues. Doctors may recommend an Electroencephalography (EEG) test for patients experiencing such concerns. EEGs monitor brain electrical activity by placing electrodes on the scalp.
To gain insights into COVID-19's brain-related effects, scientists from Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh analyzed EEG findings from over 600 patients across 84 studies.
The study's focal point: abnormalities in the frontal lobes of the brain, which, given COVID-19's presumed entry point in the nose, piques interest.
“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,” says Dr. Zulfi Haneef, assistant professor of neurology/neurophysiology at Baylor and one of the study's co-authors.
The review, published in the journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, shows that slowing of brain waves and abnormal electrical discharges are common findings in these patients. The severity of the disease and preexisting neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, positively correlated with the extent of the EEG abnormalities.
However, it's important to note that the virus might not be solely responsible for all the observed damage. Systemic effects of the infection, like inflammation, low oxygen levels, sticky blood, and cardiac arrest, may participate in EEG abnormalities beyond the frontal lobes.
Individuals with lingering COVID-19 health issues, now known as long COVID, often report cognitive impairment, or "brain fog." Although a recent study on this matter is yet to undergo peer-review, it found that those who claim to have contracted COVID performed less effectively on a cognitive test than those without such a history.
The Authors of the above-mentioned review concur that EEG abnormalities linked to neurological symptoms of COVID-19 infection amplify concerns about long-term brain effects.
"A lot of people think they will get the illness, get well, and everything will go back to normal, but these findings tell us that there might be long-term issues, which is something we have suspected, and now we are finding more evidence to back that up," says Dr. Haneef.
On a more promising note, the study shows that almost 57% of patients demonstrated improvements in follow-up EEG tests. However, the research has limitations, such as lack of access to raw data from individual studies and potential skewing due to uneven reporting of normal EEGs or disproportionate EEG testing among patients with neurological symptoms.
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Key Insights
- Diffuse Slowing is the most common EEG abnormality in COVID-19 patients with neurological symptoms, often found in up to 79% of hospitalized patients undergoing continuous EEG monitoring[1].
- Other less common abnormalities include focal slowing, epileptiform discharges, and generalized periodic discharges, particularly in cases with severe encephalopathy or seizures[1].
- EEG abnormalities' severity and persistence are often associated with worse clinical outcomes, including higher ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and mortality[1].
- Patients with preexisting neurological disorders are at a higher risk for developing more pronounced EEG abnormalities during COVID-19 infection and may experience further complications[1].
- The study published in the journal Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy reveals that individuals with COVID-19 often exhibit epilepsy-related seizures, with diffuse slowing being the most common EEG abnormality.
- COVID-19 patients with severe cases and preexisting neurological conditions such as epilepsy may experience more severe EEG abnormalities.
- Concerns about long-term brain effects of COVID-19 are amplified by the findings of this study, particularly in relation to mental health and cognitive impairment often reported by individuals with lingering COVID-19 health issues, also known as long COVID.
- The research indicates that science and medical community should pay attention to the impact of COVID-19 on health-and-wellness, including mental health, and neurological disorders, as well as understand the role of CBD, inflammation, and other systemic effects of the infection in EEG abnormalities beyond the frontal lobes.
