Giovanna Fanelli (Italy)
IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Neurophysiology ServiceAuthor Of 1 Presentation
PROSPECTIVE EEG CORTICAL SOURCES AND CONNECTIVITY EVALUATION IN PATIENTS WITH RECENT COVID-19 AND COGNITIVE DISTURBANCES: AN ELORETA STUDY
- Giordano Cecchetti (Italy)
Abstract
Background and Aims:
Given the evidence of long-term neurological complications following COVID-19, including cognitive impairment1, we aimed at assessing EEG cortical source densities (CSD) and linear lagged connectivity (LLC) values and their clinical, structural brain MRI and neuropsychological correlates in patients with recent COVID-19.
Methods:
We enrolled 49 adult patients with recent COVID-19, good recovery and cognitive disturbances, observed at 2-months post-discharge evaluation. Same-day 19-channel EEG and neuropsychological testing battery were performed; 36/49 patients underwent also 3T MRI. Thirty-three retrospective, age-/sex-matched healthy controls were selected, having no history of neurological or cognitive disturbances. Using low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA) solutions at fixed frequencies2, EEG lobar CSD and LLC values of COVID-19 and healthy subjects were investigated. Correlations with cognitive scores, recent and past medical history and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) volume were explored.
Results:
Patients showed pathological scores in memory, executive and visuo-spatial functions. 14/49 patients had symptoms suggestive of reactive depression. Analysis at delta frequency band (1.5-4.0 Hz) revealed higher CSD within bilateral frontal-temporal regions and greater LLC values between right frontal lobe and bilateral temporal and parietal-occipital lobes in COVID-19 patients. Delta CSD and LLC values positively correlated with executive performances, whereas no significant correlations were found with WMH, past and recent medical history.
Conclusions:
Differently from our acute-phase study3, EEG alterations after COVID-19 might be at least partially independent of acute infection severity and suggest instead a link with ongoing neuro-psychiatric symptoms. 8-months follow-up data will confirm the reversibility and/or evolution of our findings.