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

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.

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

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.

The Impact of Telemedicine on Parkinson's Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Italian Online Survey.

Traditionally, medical care and research in Parkinson's disease (PD) have been conducted through in-person visit. The recent Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted the delivery of in-person clinical care. We conducted an online survey to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on access to telehealth care, interviewing both PD patients and neurologists. Survey responses were collected from 1 March to 31 May 2021 through an anonymous, self-reported questionnaire, on the 'Qualtrics' platform. In total, 197 patients and 42 neurologists completed the survey. In our sample, 37.56% of PD patients and 88.10% of neurologists reported having used alternatives to in-person visits, while 13.70% of PD patients and 40.48% of neurologists used telemedicine. Data showed that respondents were generally satisfied with the use of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relational dimension between patient and neurologist seems to be the factor that most positively affected the telemedicine experience, contributing greatly to a more patient-centred care. Current findings suggest the need to improve the access to telehealth services for patients with PD. The technology has the potential to improve the care of frail patients, especially when availability of face-to-face visits is limited.