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UV-INV-AE-1561825

ABSTRACT

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder consisting of paroxysmal phenomena caused by repeated, uncontrollable and unpredictable cerebral discharges, prolonged in time whose impact affects all spheres of the individual, cognitive, affective, social, functionality and autonomy and quality of life. Its treatments, effective in the remission of seizures, are not without unwanted effects. These characteristics make epilepsy a valid model of chronic stress in humans. In this context, this project aims to delve into the differences based on age in the psychobiological markers of chronic stress (cortisol) and the impact of surgery on these markers with the ultimate aim of knowing its consequences on cognitive performance, mood alterations and, ultimately, the quality of life, functionality and autonomy of patients in their daily lives. Therefore, there will be a sample of 120 patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy, matched by sex, from different age groups: between 8 and 18 years old, 50 adults and 30 patients over 45 years old. All patients will have the aforementioned variables recorded both at home and in laboratory sessions before temporal lobe surgery with intervention in limbic structures. The results of the study would represent a relevant advance in the generation of scientific knowledge, insofar as it provides new data on the pathophysiological correlates of chronic stress from an integral perspective of the individual. They would also represent a possibility of transfer to the clinical care setting insofar as they would allow evaluating the effects of certain types of surgery on cognitive functions and adaptive stress processes in these patients. These results would help to detect the key aspects that intervene in the quality of life of these patients and that may be useful for the design of cognitive-behavioral interventions and clinical decision-making that minimize the unwanted effects of surgery.

The development of this project will be effective within the framework of the collaboration agreement in force with the La Fe Health Research Institute (IIS La Fe)

OBJECTIVES

1. Examine the effects of age, both as a continuous variable in the form of a predictor / modulator, and the differences between different age groups (adolescents, adults, and over 45 years) on cognitive performance, mood, quality of life and functionality and autonomy in people with epilepsy before surgery.

2. To evaluate the impact of temporary surgery in patients of different ages on possible changes in cognitive performance, mood, quality of life and functionality and autonomy.

• Universitat de València (Acciones especiales)