Brain's Frontal Lobes Electrical Activity Disrupted by COVID-19
COVID-19 definitely messes with your brain, and a bunch of researchers from different places decided to dig deep into this brain business using electromagnetic gizmos called EEGs. Seems these tests can pick up on all sorts of funky activity going down in your noggin, like the slowing down of your brain waves and weird electrical bursts.
They sifted through data from nearly 600 patients, most of whom were old geezers and dudes, and found these EEG abnormalities more often clustered in the front part of the brain, which is no coincidence, considering it's right next to the entry point for the virus - your nose.
These abnormalities are associated with the severity of the disease and whether the patients had any pre-existing neurological issues, like epilepsy. Nearly 70% of patients showed some slowing in their brain's electrical activity overall.
Dr. Zulfi Haneef, one of the brainy dudes behind this study, suggests that EEG could be a useful tool for examining a wider range of patients and even employing other brainy scanners like MRI or CT to get a closer look at the frontal lobe damage.
But, let's not forget, the virus might not be solely responsible for the damage. Other factors like inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest can also play a role in the extended EEG abnormalities.
Now, some COVID-19 survivors claim to be dealing with prolonged health issues commonly referred to as "long COVID." One of these is the confusion known as "brain fog." A study released last month, though not yet officially approved, found that folks who said they had COVID performed worse on a cognitive test than those who didn't. These findings raise the alarm about potential long-term effects on the brain.
Dr. Haneef agrees, pointing out that the EEG abnormalities linked to COVID-19 neurological symptoms don't help alleviate concerns about lasting brain issues. On the upside, he reports that nearly 60% of patients showed improvements when retested with the EEG.
Naturally, the study had its limitations, including the absence of access to individual EEG data and potential EEG bias due to over-reporting of cases with neurological symptoms. Moreover, some patients might have been given anti-seizure meds, which could mask signs of seizures in their EEG scans. But hey, science ain't perfect, right?
Now, for those eager beavers chomping at the bit for the latest COVID news, look no further. Click here for live updates on this never-ending coronavirus story.
- Coronavirus affects the brain, a study reveals.
- The research uses electromagnetic gizmos called EEGs to study the effects.
- EEGs can detect slowing down of brain waves and electrical bursts in the brain.
- The study examines data from nearly 600 patients, most of them elderly males.
- EEG abnormalities were more common in the front part of the brain, likely due to its proximity to the virus entry point - the nose.
- These abnormalities are associated with the severity of the disease and pre-existing neurological conditions like epilepsy.
- Nearly 70% of patients showed some slowing in their brain's electrical activity overall.
- Dr. Zulfi Haneef, one of the researchers, suggests that EEG could be a useful tool for examining a wider range of patients.
- Other brain scanners like MRI or CT could provide a closer look at the frontal lobe damage.
- However, the virus might not be the sole cause of the damage.
- Inflammation, low oxygen levels, and cardiac arrest can also contribute to extended EEG abnormalities.
- Some COVID-19 survivors report prolonged health issues, such as "brain fog."
- A study last month found that COVID-19 patients performed worse on a cognitive test than non-infected individuals.
- These findings raise concerns about potential long-term effects on the brain.
- Dr. Haneef agrees with these concerns, as EEG abnormalities linked to COVID-19 neurological symptoms do not alleviate them.
- On a positive note, nearly 60% of patients showed improvements when retested with the EEG.
- The study has limitations, such as the absence of individual EEG data and potential EEG bias.
- Some patients might have been given anti-seizure meds, which could mask signs of seizures in their EEG scans.
- Science isn't perfect, but it's continuously learning and evolving.
- Stay updated on the latest COVID news by clicking here for live updates.
- The coronavirus story is far from over.
- In addition to neurological conditions, COVID-19 can affect medical conditions like cancer, respiratory conditions, digestive health, eye health, hearing, and cardiovascular health.
- Health and wellness, fitness, and exercise are crucial for maintaining a healthy immune system during the pandemic.
- Autoimmune disorders can also be exacerbated by the coronavirus.
- Climate change and manufacturing industries can impact health and the environment.
- Mental health is equally important, as anxiety and depression are common during global crises like the pandemic.
- CBD may offer relief for some neurological disorders associated with COVID-19.
- Environmental science can help us understand the long-term effects of climate change on health and the environment.
- Finance, energy, and retail are essential industries affected by the pandemic and its aftermath.
