Sleep and Epilepsy
1Neurophysiopathology Department, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
2University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
3Sleep and Epilepsy Center, Neurocenter of Southern Switzerland, Civic Hospital of Lugano, Via Tesserete 46, Lugano, Switzerland
Sleep and Epilepsy
Description
Sleep disturbance is common in epilepsy; the nature of sleep disorders in epilepsy is still debated, and the etiologies are complex. Epilepsy itself, the occurrence of seizures, as well as AEDs may be associated with significant sleep disruption. The seizures may provoke negative effects on sleep architecture lasting much longer than the postictal period. Significant sleep disruption in epilepsy is due to seizures, interictal EEG abnormalities, AEDs, and also by comorbidities such as sleep-related breathing disorders. Excessive daytime somnolence is a critical issue in patients with epilepsy, not only as a direct side effect of some AEDs/polytherapy, but also as it is independently linked with sleep fragmentation. As consequence of the sleep disturbances quality of life is impaired, and furthermore seizure control may be impaired. All aspects of sleep medicine are important in the management of epilepsy and are confounded by the occurrence of seizures, the location of seizures, and the beneficial and detrimental effects of AEDs. Sleep should be more often evaluated, and sleep disturbances should be treated because they can become cause of pseudo drug-resistance in epilepsy.
We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that may help to clarify the mutual relationship between sleep and epilepsy. We suggest to pay particular attention to sleep comorbidities (i.e., sleep apnoea, restless legs syndrome, and PLMS) that may induce both sleep disruption and false drug resistance. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
- Sleep comorbidities in epilepsy
- Obstructive sleep apnoea and epilepsy
- Sleep disorders related to epilepsy localisation
- NREM parasomnias: arousal disorders and differentiation from nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy
- Excessive daytime somnolence and epilepsy
- AEDs, sleep, and sleepiness
- Cyclic alternating pattern, epilepsy, and AEDs
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