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Perhaps the most mysterious of the many serious symptoms of the disease is the bizarre neurological effects that many patients with Covid-19 suffer from.
The sudden loss of smell and taste was one of the first unusual symptoms reported by patients with Covid-19, but stroke, seizures and swelling of the brain (called encephalitis) have also been described. .
Some patients diagnosed with “Covid-19” also suffer from confusion, delirium, dizziness and difficulty concentrating, according to case reports and reviews.
For months, doctors have been tirelessly trying to understand the disease and its many manifestations that seem to affect the brain in ways we cannot fully explain.
To quickly collect some of the accumulating data, two neuroscientists are currently reviewing research exploring how COVID-19 disrupts patterns of normal brain function, which can be measured with EEG.
An EEG records electrical activity in different parts of a person’s brain, usually using electrodes placed on their scalp.
The researchers collected data on nearly 620 patients infected with the coronavirus, from 84 studies, published in peer-reviewed journals and pre-print servers, where EEG waveform data was available for analysis.
And the EEG results could indicate a form of encephalopathy associated with “Covid” in these patients – signs of impaired or disturbed brain function.
Almost two-thirds of the patients in the studies were men, with an average age of 61 years. Some people also had a pre-existing condition, such as dementia, that could affect the EEG reading, which the researchers took into account when evaluating the test results.
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Of the 420 patients for whom the basis for the EEG demand was recorded, the most common cause was an altered mental state: almost two-thirds of the patients studied experienced some delirium, coma or disorientation. About 30% of patients experienced a seizure-like event, which prompted the request for an EEG, while a small number of patients had speech problems and others experienced sudden cardiac arrest, resulting in can block blood flow to the brain.
EEG scans showed a whole host of abnormalities in brain activity, including certain rhythmic patterns and increases in epileptic-like activity. The most common abnormality was the diffuse slowing of brain waves, indicating a general imbalance in brain activity.
In the case of “Covid-19”, this weakness could be the result of generalized inflammation, as the body intensifies its immune response, or perhaps a decrease in blood flow to the brain, if the heart and lungs are weak.
Regarding local effects, a third of the abnormalities found were detected in the frontal lobe, which is the part of the brain that handles executive thought tasks, such as logical thinking and decision making. The frontal lobe also helps us regulate our emotions, control our behavior, and participate in learning and attention.
Neurologist Zulfi Hanif, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said: “These results tell us that we need to try EEG on a larger scale, in addition to other types of brain imaging, such as imaging. magnetic resonance or computed tomography, which will allow us to take a closer look. Frontal lobe “.
Over time, an EEG can help solidify a diagnosis of “Covid-19” or hint at potential complications. This can help doctors monitor long-term complications from ‘Covid-19’ and detect any long-term effects on the patient’s brain function.
Unfortunately, as it stands, the results give no indication of the rarity or frequency of these brainwave disturbances in the general population, as only Covid-19 patients who underwent an EEG test were included. in the analysis.
But it adds to the growing evidence that the new Corona virus can have a dangerous impact on our neurological health.
As the epidemic spread, researchers understood the strength of “Covid-19”, with patients describing feeling tired months after their diagnosis.
The study was published in a journal Entry: European Journal of Epilepsy.
Source: ScienceAlert
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