The impact of the seizures frequency in the heart and heart rate variability.

Abstract

Patients with epilepsy have 2 to 3 times more chance to die prematurely than general population and the sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is responsible for 2-18% of these cases. However still unknown the causes of the SUDEP, but cardiac system seen to have important participation in this scenario. In this sense, alterations in heart rate and in heart rate variability can be seen in epileptic patients, beyond many cardiovascular alterations in necropsied hearts of the epileptic patients who die suddenly. Therefore the aim of this research is characterizes the heart response during electrical kindling of the amygdala. This procedure correspond a repetition and generalization of the epileptic seizures. This research also aims analysis the miRNAs concerning with apoptosis/antiapoptosis, arrhythmias and cardioprotection in cardiac tissue. The literature already known that cardiac autonomic alterations can carry changes in these parameters cited previously (heart rate, heart rate variability and miRNAs) but we do not known if the electrical amygdala kindling model can carried this alterations. The characterization of these parameters associated with epileptic seizure frequency can establish new risk factors for the occurrence of SUDEP. To do so, three groups of adult male Wistar rats will be studied: KDL < 10 seizures (the animals will be present until 9 seizures); KDL e 10 seizures (the animals will present 10 seizures or more); and control. As expected results this research pretend to contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the occurrence of SUDEP. Through the electrical amygdala kindling model we will expect map the possible cardiac abnormalities and confirm that occurs sympathetic activation in heart of epileptic animals. (AU)