Abstract

LOZANO-GARCIA, Alejandro et al. Cardiovascular response to stress in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: preliminary data. Anal. Psicol. [online]. 2021, vol.37, n.3, pp.440-448.  Epub June 13, 2022. ISSN 1695-2294.  https://dx.doi.org/10.6018/analesps.483021.

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.

Keywords : Drug-resistant epilepsy; Cardiovascular response; Acute stress; Heart rate; Heart rate variability.

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