Abstracts

Rationale: Hemispheric lateralization of the autonomic functions is not well known. We studied this in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients with the following questions- (1) Does interictal epileptogenic activity in temporal lobes have a differential affect on autonomic functions? (3) Does abolishing interictal epileptogenic activity in TLE after surgery result in comparable autonomic functions between the right TLE (RTLE) and left TLE (LTLE)patients. Methods: The study was conducted on 30 RTLE patients, age (22.03 12.31)yrs and 23 LTLE patients, age (25.13 10.27)yrs. Autonomic functions were assessed using standard battery of reactivity test and short term HRV before and at 3 & 6 months after surgery. Results: Fall in SBP during HUT (p=0.025) and HR (p=0.001) and E:I (p=0.001) ratios during DBT were significantly higher in the LTLE group. Similarly in the measures of HRV; SDSD (p=0.021) and RMSSD (p=0.045) were also significantly higher in the LTLE patients. After surgery all the above mentioned variables become comparable at 3 & 6 months while, DBP (p=0.005) in CPT became higher in LTLE patients. Conclusions: We found that in the presence of epileptogenic stimulation LTL is dominant for the parasympathetic activity and reactivity while; RTL is dominant for the sympathetic reactivity. After surgery the autonomic functions became comparable except sympathetic reactivity which became higher in LTLE. Our study suggests that there is a relative but definite laterality exists in the autonomic functions in TLE patients.