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. 2022 Jul 18:16:923576.
doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.923576. eCollection 2022.

EEG Evaluation of Stress Exposure on Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Emergency: Not Just an Impression

Antonella LoMauro  1 , Maria Takeko Molisso  1   2 , Francesca Mameli  2 , Fabiana Ruggiero  2 , Roberta Ferrucci  3   4 , Chiara Dellarosa  5 , Giada Aglieco  2 , Andrea Aliverti  1 , Sergio Barbieri  2 , Maurizio Vergari  2
Affiliations

EEG Evaluation of Stress Exposure on Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Emergency: Not Just an Impression

Antonella LoMauro et al. Front Syst Neurosci. .

Abstract

Psychological distress among healthcare professionals, although already a common condition, was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This effect has been generally self-reported or assessed through questionnaires. We aimed to identify potential abnormalities in the electrical activity of the brain of healthcare workers, operating in different roles during the pandemic. Cortical activity, cognitive performances, sleep, and burnout were evaluated two times in 20 COVID-19 frontline operators (FLCO, median age 29.5 years) and 20 operators who worked in COVID-19-free units (CFO, median 32 years): immediately after the outbreak of the pandemic (first session) and almost 6 months later (second session). FLCO showed higher theta relative power over the entire scalp (FLCO = 19.4%; CFO = 13.9%; p = 0.04) and lower peak alpha frequency of electrodes F7 (FLCO = 10.4 Hz; CFO = 10.87 Hz; p = 0.017) and F8 (FLCO = 10.47 Hz; CFO = 10.87 Hz; p = 0.017) in the first session. FLCO parietal interhemispheric coherence of theta (FLCO I = 0.607; FLCO II = 0.478; p = 0.025) and alpha (FLCO I = 0.578; FLCO II = 0.478; p = 0.007) rhythms decreased over time. FLCO also showed lower scores in the global cognitive assessment test (FLCO = 22.72 points; CFO = 25.56; p = 0.006) during the first session. The quantitative evaluation of the cortical activity might therefore reveal early signs of changes secondary to stress exposure in healthcare professionals, suggesting the implementation of measures to prevent serious social and professional consequences.

Keywords: COVID-19; EEG; healthcare workers; mental fatigue; stress exposure.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
A box-and-whisker plot representing the median (line within the box), the interquartile range (length of the box), the 90th and 10th percentiles (whiskers above and below the box) of the electroencephalographic derived theta relative power in central (top left panel), posterior (top right panel), occipital (bottom left panel), and global regions (bottom right panel) in operators who worked in COVID-19-free wards and departments (CFO, white) and in frontline COVID-19 operators during the pandemic (FLCO, gray) during the first (1) and the second sessions (2). *p < 0.05 CFO1 vs. FLCO1; °p < 0.05 CFO2 vs. FLCO2.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A box-and-whisker plot representing the median (line within the box), the interquartile range (length of the box), the 90th and 10th percentiles (whiskers above and below the box) of the electroencephalographic derived peak alpha frequency (PAF) in F7 (left panel) and F8 electrodes (right panel) in operators who worked in COVID-19-free wards and departments (CFO, white) and in frontline COVID-19 operators during the pandemic (FLCO, gray) during the first (1) and the second sessions (2). *p < 0.05 CFO1 vs. FLCO1.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A box-and-whisker plot representing the median (line within the box), the interquartile range (length of the box), the 90th and 10th percentiles (whiskers above and below the box) of the electroencephalographic derived interhemispheric theta coherence in P3-P4 (top left panel), T3-T4 (top central panel), C3-C4 (top right panel) electrodes and interhemispheric alpha coherence in P3-P4 (bottom left panel) and T3-T4 electrodes (bottom central panel) in operators who worked in COVID-19-free wards and departments (CFO, white) and in frontline COVID-19 operators during the pandemic (FLCO, gray) during the first (1) and the second sessions (2). *p < 0.05 CFO1 vs. FLCO1; °p < 0.05 CFO2 vs. FLCO2; ♦p < 0.05 FLCO1 vs. FLCO2.
Figure 4
Figure 4
A box-and-whisker plot representing the median (line within the box), the interquartile range (length of the box), the 90th and 10th percentiles (whiskers above and below the box) of cognitive tests, and surveys results: MoCA memory score (top left panel), MoCA language score (top central panel), MoCA total score (top right panel), Stroop Color and Word Test time duration (middle left panel), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Total Score (middle central panel), MBI-GS Emotional Exhaustion (bottom left panel), and depersonalization (bottom central panel) in operators who worked in COVID-19-free wards and departments (CFO, white) and in frontline COVID-19 operators during the pandemic (FLCO, gray) during the first (1) and the second sessions (2). *p < 0.05 CFO1 vs. FLCO1; °p < 0.05 CFO2 vs. FLCO2; ♦: p < 0.05 FLCO1 vs. FLCO2.
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