Neurológia pre prax 4/2014

Sleep and epilepsy

In some epileptic syndromes, epileptic seizures may be caused by pathological activation of neuronal networks which in normal cicumstances regulate sleep and wake cycle. It applies to perisylvian network in LKS and ESES, thalamo-cortical in IGE, frontal in NFLE, and temporolimbic in TLE. In some epileptic syndromes this may interfere with mechanisms for which sleep is important and cause cognitive defect. Sleep disorders and epilepsy frequently coexist and treatment of one condition may have positive impact on the other.

Keywords: epilepsy, sleep, idiopathic generalized epilepsy, epileptic encephalopathy, focal epilepsy, antiepileptic drug, sleep apnea syndrome.