COVID-19 and the Brain: Uncovering Hidden Parallels with Alzheimer’s


Understanding of the impact of COVID-19 (EEG Results)

Hey there! Let's dive into this fascinating topic about COVID-19 and its effects on our brains. It's pretty wild stuff, but I'll try to break it down in a way that's easy to understand.

So, here's the deal: COVID-19 doesn't just mess with our bodies - it can mess with our brains too! Scientists have been using this cool tool called EEG (electroencephalogram) to see what's going on up there in our brains.

Guess what? They found some pretty interesting stuff! When people get COVID-19, their brain waves change. It's kinda like how your favorite radio station might get a bit fuzzy sometimes. The brain's "alpha waves" (think of them as the chill, relaxed waves) get weaker, while the "delta waves" (the sleepy ones) get stronger.

COVID-19 and Alzhiemer’s Correlation

Now, here's where it gets REALLY interesting. These changes look a lot like what happens in people with Alzheimer's disease. Crazy, right? But don't freak out! It doesn't mean COVID-19 gives you Alzheimer's. It just means there might be some similar stuff going on.

Let's talk about Long COVID for a sec. It's when people still feel an imbalance of health months after getting better from COVID-19. An increased amount of individuals with prolonged COVID-19 say they have trouble remembering things or focusing - kind of like their brain is in a fog. The EEG shows that their brain waves are a bit slower than usual, which might explain why they feel this way.

Reactive Astrocytes and Synaptic 

Astrocytes are these cool brain cells that help keep our synapses (the brain's communication hotspots) healthy. But when they get all fired up (reactive), they start causing trouble. They release stuff that messes with how our brain cells talk to each other. It's like they forget how to clean up after a party, leaving a mess of glutamate (a brain chemical) everywhere. This can make our brain go into overdrive and even damage some cells. Yikes!

EEG and Synaptic Shenanigans

EEG is like a brain wave detector. It shows us when things aren't quite right upstairs. In both COVID-19 and Alzheimer's, these brain waves can look a bit off. It's like the brain's orchestra is playing out of tune. This tells us that the synapses (our brain's chat rooms) aren't working properly.

The Autoimmune Twist

Here's where it gets REALLY interesting. Both COVID-19 and Alzheimer's can make our immune system unbalanced. It's like our body starts attacking itself by mistake. This can lead to all sorts of brain troubles, from feeling confused to having memory loss.

Brain Shrinkage and Blood Vessel

COVID-19 and Alzheimer's can both make parts of our brain shrink and damage blood vessels. It's like parts of the brain are slowly deflating. EEG can help us keep an eye on these changes and maybe even figure out how to stop them.

What's Next?

There's still so much to learn! We need to figure out:

  • What specific EEG patterns show up in Long COVID cases

  • How to tell COVID-19 cognitive impairments from other types of cognitive impairments.

  • What happens to our brains  (EEG patterns) long after we've had prolonged periods of COVID-19?

Wrapping It Up

Understanding how COVID-19 messes with our brains is SUPER important. By studying this, we might even learn more about diseases like Alzheimer's. EEG is like our secret weapon in this research. It helps us peek into the brain and see what's going on.

There's still a ton of work to do, but by keeping at it, we can hopefully find ways to help people whose brains have been affected by COVID-19. Let's keep our fingers crossed for some awesome discoveries!

What to know more?! 

Detailed Scientific Research Paper: https://alzjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.14089

Reference: 

Jiang, Yang et al. “Parallel electrophysiological abnormalities due to COVID-19 infection and to Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.” Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 10.1002/alz.14089. 29 Aug. 2024, doi:10.1002/alz.14089

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