Parameters of autonomic regulation in patients with focal frontal and temporal epilepsy

Aim. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of autonomic regulation and autonomic support in focal frontal and temporal lobe epilepsy. Materials and Methods. Thirty-six individuals were examined (19 men and 17 women; mean age 33.7±1.4 years) in the control group (without history of epileptic seizures) and 68 patients (32 men and 36 women, 34.1±1.5 years) with focal epilepsy (36 patients with frontal lobe epilepsy, of which 32 had temporal lobe epilepsy). Physiological parameters of heart rate variability and of skin sympathetic evoked potentials were evaluated. Results. Predomination of sympathetic influences in both groups of patients was found. According to the analysis of skin sympathetic evoked potentials, a high activity of the suprasegmental autonomic centers was determined in patients with epilepsy. Based on the results of the correlation analysis, the initial state in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy was characterized by greater intrasystemic tension that reflects the high level of physiological costs. The logit regression analysis model makes it possible to distribute patients with focal epilepsy into groups with different disease courses on the basis of the parameters of the autonomic support of the activity. Conclusion. In patients with focal epilepsy, predomination of sympathetic influences was observed, as well as greater activity of the suprasegmental centers of the autonomic regulation. Intrasystemic ratios of autonomic regulation parameters demonstrate an increase in the intrasystemic tension and a limitation of functional reserves in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. A complex of parameters of autonomic support allows, based on the logit regression analysis, to distribute patients into groups with different courses of focal epilepsy.