Circadian rhythm, sleep, and epilepsy

Abstract

This review article: (1) describes the circadian distribution of ictal and interictal events; (2) differentiates transitional arousal, non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep components and their substrates; (3) suggests the means by which the neural generators of these seizure-prone vs. seizure-resistant sleep and arousal states modulate the timing of different seizure manifestations; (4) considers clinical and mechanistic findings for the reciprocal effects of seizures and antiepileptic drugs upon the sleep-wake cycle; and (5) assesses clinical and basic mechanisms of sleep deprivation effects upon seizures.