Multiday cycles of heart rate are associated with seizure likelihood:
Circadian and multiday rhythms are found across many biological systems, including cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, and immunology. In people with epilepsy, epileptic brain activity and seizure occurrence have been found to follow circadian, weekly, and monthly rhythms. Understanding the relationship between these cycles of brain excitability and other physiological systems can provide new insight into the causes of multiday cycles. The brain-heart link has previously been considered in epilepsy research, with potential implications for seizure forecasting, therapy, and mortality (i.e., sudden unexpected death in epilepsy).
Philippa J.Karoly, Rachel E.Stirling, Dean R.Freestone, Ewan S.Nurse, Matias I.Maturana, Amy J. Halliday, Andrew Neal, Nicholas M.Gregge, Benjamin H. Brinkmann, Mark P.Richardson, Andre La Gerche, David B.Grayden, Wendyl D’Souza, Mark J. Cook
Published on October 2021The Lancet EBioMedicineAccess: Open
This study shows long-term seizure risk cycles can be tracked using a smartwatch — an important step forward in developing seizure risk tools for people with epilepsy.