A case-control study of skin conductance biofeedback on seizure frequency and emotion regulation in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy.
International Journal of Psychophysiology. 2018-01-01; 123: 103-110
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.10.005
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1. Int J Psychophysiol. 2018 Jan;123:103-110. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.10.005.
Epub 2017 Oct 16.
A case-control study of skin conductance biofeedback on seizure frequency and
emotion regulation in drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy.
Kotwas I(1), McGonigal A(2), Khalfa S(3), Bastien-Toniazzo M(4), Bartolomei F(2),
Micoulaud-Franchi JA(5).
Author information:
(1)Laboratoire Parole et Langage UMR 7309, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille,
France. Electronic address: .
(2)Service de Neurophysiologie Clinique, Centre Hospitalo Universitaire de la
Timone, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13005 Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ,
Inserm, INS, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseille, France.
(3)National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Timone Neuroscience Institute
(INT, UMR 7289), Marseille, France; Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Life
and Health Sciences, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
(4)Laboratoire Parole et Langage UMR 7309, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille,
France.
(5)Service d’explorations fonctionnelles du système nerveux, Clinique du sommeil,
CHU de Bordeaux, Place Amélie Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux, France; USR CNRS 3413
SANPSY, CHU Pellegrin, Université de Bordeaux, France.
This study investigates the physiological basis of effects of skin conductance
biofeedback on anxiety disorders, depressive disorders and stress in
drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). This method presents an interest in
seizure reduction and improvement in psychiatric comorbidities frequently
associated with TLE. Our goal was to better understand the impact of biofeedback
on seizure control and on emotional regulation. Fifteen patients with TLE were
treated with 12 skin conductance biofeedback sessions and compared with 15
control TLE patients on a waiting list. They were evaluated in terms of seizure
frequency, clinical evaluations of anxiety and depression and skin conductance
responses (SCR) to five emotions: fear, disgust, sadness, happiness and
peacefulness induced by short films. Biofeedback training significantly reduced
seizure frequency with a mean reduction of -47.42% in the biofeedback group,
while the control group did not differ at the two time measures. A significant
improvement was found for depression and trait-anxiety in the biofeedback group
but not in the control group. There were no differences on SCR on any emotion
after biofeedback treatment. A correlation was found between mean change in SCR
over the biofeedback treatment and the reduction of seizure frequency, but not
between SCR changes and scores on psychiatric comorbidities. These results show
independent effect of biofeedback on mood and seizure control. Improvements in
anxiety and depressive symptoms were not related to SCR, whereas improved seizure
control was, suggesting differential mechanisms underlying these two phenomena.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2017.10.005
PMID: 29042154