Abstract
The neurophysiology of the brain is complicated and nuanced. It is responsible for
the normal sleep/wake states that every person experiences, and for the changes in
brain neurophysiology that result in epileptic seizures and in disorders of sleep.
It is therefore not surprising that sleep, sleep disorders, and epilepsy interact
on many levels. The sleep state influences the detection of interictal epileptiform
discharges, important for diagnosis of epilepsy. The state of sleep also influences
whether a seizure will occur at a given time, and this differs considerably for various
epilepsy syndromes. Sleep disruption of any kind, including from sleep disorders,
can worsen epileptic seizures and contribute to intractability. Finally, anticonvulsant
medications can influence sleep and sleep disorders in both positive and negative
ways. Understanding this interplay between epilepsy and sleep is helpful in the optimal
treatment of all patients with epileptic seizures.
Keywords
epilepsy - seizures - anticonvulsant drugs - sleep - sleep disorders
