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Updated: May 6, 2026

Manipulation of Epileptiform Electrocorticograms ECoGs and Sleep in Rats and Mice by Acupuncture

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If You Care About Autonomic Modulation-Do Not Let Seizure Seizure.

Matthias C Borutta¹, Vayra Royle¹, Christina Rothballer¹

¹Department of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)

|March 14, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients show altered autonomic cardiovascular modulation, particularly reduced sympathetic activity in right TLE and parasympathetic activity with increased seizure frequency. These autonomic changes appear early in epilepsy, independent of disease duration or antiseizure medications.

Keywords:

autonomic dysregulation autonomic nervous system dysautonomia heart rate variability temporal lobe epilepsy

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Area of Science:

Neurology
Cardiology
Autonomic Nervous System Research

Background:

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with potential autonomic nervous system dysfunction.
Understanding autonomic cardiovascular modulation in TLE is crucial for patient management.
Hemispheric localization, seizure frequency, disease duration, and antiseizure medications (ASMs) may influence autonomic function in TLE.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate associations between autonomic cardiovascular modulation and TLE characteristics.
To compare autonomic parameters in TLE patients with healthy controls.
To explore the influence of hemispheric localization, seizure frequency, disease duration, and ASMs on autonomic function in TLE.

Main Methods:

Prospective observational study involving 31 TLE patients (12 right TLE, 19 left TLE) and 30 healthy controls.
Cardiovascular autonomic modulation assessed using R-R intervals and blood pressure recordings.
Calculation of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and total autonomic modulation parameters; subgroup analyses performed.

Main Results:

No significant differences in overall bio-signals between right TLE, left TLE, and controls.
Slightly lower sympathetic and total autonomic modulation in right TLE patients compared to controls.
Reduced parasympathetic modulation observed in right TLE patients with polytherapy or no ASMs; decreased sympathetic modulation in TLE patients with <1 seizure/month, significant in left TLE.

Conclusions:

A trend towards lower sympathetic modulation in right TLE supports right hemispheric sympathetic regulation.
Decreased parasympathetic modulation with increased seizure frequency highlights the need for seizure control to prevent autonomic complications.
Autonomic alterations appear early in TLE, independent of disease duration; ASM side effects may not solely explain dysregulation.