Cardiovascular response to stress in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: preliminary data

Abstract Stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases in the general population. Epilepsy has been considered a suitable model of chronic stress with a higher incidence of cardiovascular mortality than the general population. This study provides preliminary data about cardiovascular response to a cognitive stressor and a neuropsychological assessment in patients with epilepsy. It also explores the relationship between cardiovascular response and cognitive performance, depending on the side of seizure focus. Thirty-five patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, 17 with epileptogenic area (EA) in the left hemisphere (LH) and 18 with EA in the right hemisphere (RH), underwent a cognitive stressor and a neuropsychological assessment. The cardiovascular response was recorded throughout both conditions. Results showed that a long-lasting neuropsychological assessment was capable of producing a hemisphere-modulated cardiovascular response with heart rate (HR) decreases (and R-R interval increases) more pronounced in the LH patients than in the RH patients at the post-assessment period (p = .05 and p = .01, respectively). The hemisphere of EA moderated the relationship between cardiovascular response and cognitive performance (for all, p < .03). Our findings may have clinical implications from a preventive perspective since the EA hemisphere may be a relevant factor for coping with stress in people with drug-resistant epilepsy.

Detalles Bibliográficos

Autores principales:	Lozano-García,Alejandro, Catalán,Judit, Hampel,Kevin, Villanueva,Vicente, González-Bono,Esperanza, Cano-López,Irene
Formato:	Digital revista
Idioma:	English
Publicado:	Universidad de Murcia 2021
Acceso en línea:	http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0212-97282021000300006
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