Sleep and Epilepsy

Abstract

An epileptic seizure is defined as a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. 1 Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. 2 Seizures can be focal in onset (with or without secondary generalization) or they can be primarily generalized (i.e., idiopathic). 3,4 Focal onset seizures may either be associated with impaired awareness (complex partial seizures) or without impaired awareness (simple partial seizures). Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the United States, with approximately 150,000 new cases each year. 5 One out of every 26 individuals will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime. Thus, epilepsy poses a significant burden on patients, their families, and the health care system. The purpose of this chapter is to review the intricate relationship between sleep and epilepsy, with a special focus on the impact of sleep on seizure timing and frequency. Understanding this relationship is an important step toward successful evaluation and management of patients with epilepsy.