EEG as an indispensable tool during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: A review of tribulations and successes

Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Resting-State Brain Activity in Individuals with Tinnitus

This study looked at the possible effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals who came to our clinic seeking relief from tinnitus. The performance of the subjects during the COVID-19 pandemic was compared with similar individuals who came to our clinic before the pandemic began. The study involved 50 adults with chronic tinnitus, made up of a study group (24 subjects tested during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021) and a control group before the pandemic began (26 subjects tested from 2013 to 2017). None of the 24 reported having contracted COVID-19. Data collection involved the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) questionnaire, audiological tests, and quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG). In terms of THI scores, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. However, with regard to qEEG, some changes were observed, with significant decreases in alpha and beta band activity in the study group compared to the control group, particularly over the auditory cortex. We conclude that COVID-19 did not have a discernible impact on the general well-being of individuals with tinnitus. However, it did appear to alter brain activity, specifically in the alpha and beta bands over the auditory cortex, and these reults warrant further investigation.

Association of seizures with COVID-19 infection in underage during the pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has caused worldwide transmission. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the morbidity and characteristics of seizures after SARS-CoV-2 infection in underage (≤18 y) and to provide valuable reference material for subsequent clinical treatment.

METHODS

PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were searched up to 10th May 2023. We utilized the search strategy of medical subject headings combined with entry terms to search all related literatures.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA reporting guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). A total of 12 articles were selected, including 4153 subjects and 333 seizure-prone minor patients with COVID-19. The morbidity of seizures after SARS-CoV-2 infection in immature patients was approximately 8.2 (95 % CI, 4.7%-12.4 %). By subgroup analysis, we know that the morbidity of male, Americas, with fever and first occurrence of seizures were 4.2% (95 % CI, 0.4-10.5 %), 4.6 % (95 % CI, 0.4 %-11.7 %), 5.4 % (95 % CI, 2.6 %-9.1 %) and 3.7 % (95 % CI, 0.7 %-8.2 %), respectively. Generalized seizures are the main type of seizures (80.6 %).

CONCLUSIONS

Seizures can be caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in underage groups, with a pooled morbidity of 8.2% and a higher morbidity in females, in African regions, in febrile groups and during 2022-2023. In addition, generalized seizures being the predominant seizure type.

The association between epilepsy and COVID-19: analysis based on Mendelian randomization and FUMA

Objective

A multitude of observational studies have underscored a substantial comorbidity between COVID-19 and epilepsy. This study was aimed at establishing a conclusive causal link between these two conditions.

Methods

We employed Mendelian randomization (MR) to evaluate the causal link between COVID-19 and epilepsy, as well as its focal and generalized subtypes. The GWAS for epilepsy and its subtypes database were abstracted from both FinnGen consortium and ILAE. Additionally, we leveraged functional mapping and annotation (FUMA) to integrate information from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) results.

Results

The MR analyses revealed that genetic liability to COVID-19 infection conferred a causal effect on epilepsy [FinnGen: OR: 1.5306; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1676-2.0062, PFDR (false discovery rate) = 0.0076; ILAE: OR: 1.3440; 95% CI: 1.0235-1.7649, PFDR = 0.0429], and generalized epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 2.1155; 95% CI: 1.1734-3.8139, PFDR = 0.0327; ILAE: OR: 1.1245; 95% CI: 1.0444-1.2108, PFDR = 0.0114). Genetic liability to COVID-19 hospitalization conferred a causal effect on epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 1.0934; 95% CI: 1.0097-1.1841, PFDR = 0.0422; ILAE: OR: 1.7381; 95% CI: 1.0467-2.8862, PFDR = 0.0451), focal epilepsy (ILAE: OR: 1.7549; 95% CI: 1.1063-2.7838, PFDR = 0.0338), and generalized epilepsy (ILAE: OR: 1.1827; 95% CI: 1.0215-1.3693, PFDR = 0.0406). Genetic liability to COVID-19 severity conferred a causal effect on epilepsy (FinnGen consortium: OR: 1.2454; 95% CI: 1.0850-1.4295, PFDR = 0.0162; ILAE: OR: 1.2724; 95% CI: 1.0347-1.5647, PFDR = 0.0403), focal epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 1.6818; 95% CI: 1.1478-2.4642, PFDR = 0.0231; ILAE: OR: 1.6598; 95% CI: 1.2572-2.1914, PFDR = 0.0054), and generalized epilepsy (FinnGen: OR: 1.1486; 95% CI: 1.0274-1.2842, PFDR = 0.0335; ILAE: OR: 1.0439; 95% CI: 1.0159-1.0728, PFDR = 0.0086). In contrast, no causal linkage of epilepsy on COVID-19 was observed. Further, FUMA analysis identified six overlapping genes, including SMEK2, PNPT1, EFEMP1, CCDC85A, VRK2, and BCL11A, shared between COVID-19 and epilepsy. Tissue-specific expression analyses revealed that the disease-gene associations of COVID-19 were significantly enriched in lung, ovary, and spleen tissue compartments, while being significantly enriched in brain tissue for epilepsy.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that COVID-19 can be a contributing factor to epilepsy, but we found no evidence that epilepsy contributes to COVID-19.