Distribution of physiological resources and effectivity of purposeful activity of patients with epilepsy

Aim: to study distribution of physiological resources in purposeful activity of patients with epilepsy.

Materials and Methods. 70 Healthy individuals and 160 patients with epilepsy were examined. In the examined individuals purposeful activity was modeled with evaluation of its effectiveness using Schulte-Gorbov test. In the dynamics of the modeled activity, parameters of electroencephalogram, variability of heart rhythm were evaluated; in the initial condition (before Schulte-Gorbov test) parameters of evoked visual potentials, P300cognitive potentials and of a conditionally-negative deviation were estimated. Interrelations between parameters of electroencephalography and of variability of heart rhythm were studied using correlation analysis with Spearman rank correlation coefficient; the comparative analysis of variability of heart rhythm and characteristics of respiratory function was performed, and effectiveness of behavior of patients with epilepsy was predicted using logit-regression analysis.

Results. Predomination of structural-metabolic forms of epilepsy was found in the group of patients with low effectiveness of the activity. The low-effective group of patients with epilepsy showed a higher correlation of physiological parameters and a high level of characteristics refecting activation of stress-realizing systems. For effective distribution of patients with epilepsy into groups with different effectiveness of behavior, it was necessary to include characteristics of visual evoked potential, P300 cognitive potential and conditionally-negative deviation into logit-regression model, that reflects the role of afferent and association mechanisms in this task. Increase in physiological «cost» and reduction in the effectiveness of activity in the group of patients with epilepsy is associated with prevalence of structural forms of epilepsy.

Conclusion. Epileptogenic zones in patients with epilepsy are supposed to play a role not only in reduction of effectiveness of activity, but also in excessive mobilization of physiological resources and in increase in physiological cost of activity, that diminishes its effectiveness.