Abstract
PurposePatients with epilepsy often complain of non-restorative sleep. This is the consequence of the acute effect of seizures and the chronic effect of epilepsy responsible for disrupting sleep architecture. Other factors such as antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), also play a role in the alteration of sleep organization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the specific effect of seizures and interictal epileptiform abnormalities (IEAs) on sleep, in particular to see whether reducing seizure frequency by epilepsy surgery might improve sleep organization in these patients. MethodsEleven patients with refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, who underwent surgical treatment and who were seizure free at the follow-up, were included in the study. Treatment with AEDs was not significantly modified before the second year of follow-up. Patients were evaluated before surgery, at 1-year and 2-year follow-up visits with a videoEEG monitoring (24h/24). At each follow-up visit, interictal epileptiform abnormalities and sleep macrostructure parameters were assessed. ResultsAll patients showed a reduction of their IEAs. At 1-year follow-up, total sleep time and REM sleep increased significantly (p=0.032 and p=0.006, respectively). At 2-year follow-up, an important increase of REM sleep was observed (p=0.028). Most significant variations were noted 1 year after surgery. No significant variations were observed between the first and the second year after surgery. ConclusionsSurgical treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy may improve sleep macrostructure by reducing the number of seizures and of IEAs. These results indirectly confirm the role of epilepsy in disrupting sleep organization chronically.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.