Circadian rhythm and controlled epilepsy: the influence of depressive and anxiety symptoms

• Grant number: 16/21009-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2017
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Kette Dualibi Ramos Valente
• Grantee: Sara Terrim
• Host Institution: Instituto de Psiquiatria Doutor Antonio Carlos Pacheco e Silva (IPq). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The relation between epilepsy and sleep disorders has been studied, namely its influence on circadian rhythm. It is known that the presence of seizures is positively associated with changes of sleep quality, and, consequently, in modifications of circadian rhythm. Furthermore, it is important to consider the influence of some factors related to epilepsy and antiepileptic drug treatment contribute significantly to the modifications in the sleep pattern and sleep architecture and are determinant factors of a poor quality of sleep. Therefore, the study of patients with frequent seizures and under polytherapy presents multiple cofounding factors that limit a relevant conclusion. There is scarce data with homogeneous samples of pharmaco-responsive patients under monotherapy. The presence of psychiatric symptoms, namely depression and anxiety, is frequent in patients with epilepsy and has a great impact on sleep quality. In order to provide a better understanding about the impact of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the sleep quality and circadian rhythm of patients with epilepsy, it necessary one study with a homogenous sample of patients with well-controlled epilepsy under monotherapy, as will be performed in this project. This controlled and prospective study aims to verify the association between higher scores in depressive symptoms and the scores in questionnaires about the circadian rhythm in patients with well-controlled epilepsy. This analysis will be conducted with patients with well-controlled epilepsy with and without depressive symptoms and controls, throughout scales that evaluate quality of sleep, circadian rhythm and, the presence of depressive symptoms. (AU)