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Semin Neurol 2004; 24(3): 293-300
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-835071
Copyright © 2004 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Nocturnal Seizures

Carl W. Bazil1
  • 1Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, New York, New York
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Publication History

Publication Date:
27 September 2004 (online)

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As a subset of epilepsy, nocturnal seizures amplify one of the major problems of epilepsy in general: episodes are less likely to be directly witnessed than daytime seizures, and therefore diagnosis and characterization are more difficult. As a sleep problem, nocturnal seizures are not benign, and the resulting sleep disruption can cause daytime somnolence and concentration difficulty. This article outlines three major topics in nocturnal seizures: differential diagnosis (distinguishing between seizures and parasomnias), the effects of nocturnal seizures on sleep structure, and specific syndromes of primarily or exclusively nocturnal seizures.

KEYWORDS

Sleep - seizure - epilepsy - juvenile myoclonic epilepsy - frontal lobe - benign Rolandic epilepsy - polysomnography

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Carl W BazilM.D. Ph.D. 

Columbia Comprehensive Epilepsy Center

710 West 168th Street, New York

NY 10032

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