title: Sleep and sleep deprived EEG in partial and generalized epilepsy.
abstract: Sleep and sleep deprivation are often used for EEG activation in epilepsy. We compared postprandial naps and day-long sleep deprived EEGs in 36 patients with generalized seizures, 57 complex partial seizure patients, and 7 individuals with mixed seizure disorders. Ten of 36 generalized seizure patients had normal sleep and sleep deprived EEGs, while both were normal in 16 of 57 partial seizure patients. Both were abnormal in 18 of 36 generalized and 22 of 57 partial epileptics. Seven generalized seizure patients had epileptiform discharges or seizures during afternoon naps but normal sleep deprived EEGs. No partial seizure patients had normal sleep deprived EEGs and abnormal nap, but 29 of 57 had abnormalities or seizures only with sleep deprivation. All 7 mixed seizure patients had abnormal sleep and sleep deprived studies, and 6 had seizures, 4 on both studies. Natural sleep may facilitate the appearance of generalized seizures or epilepti-form discharges, while sleep deprivation may accentuate the yield of EEG abnormality in partial epilepsy. Either is likely to be abnormal in patients with mixed seizures and encephalopathy. Natural sleep and sleep deprived EEGs are an appropriate combination in the evaluation of refractory seizures.
authors.affiliation: Ohio State University Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Ohio State University Hospitals, Department of Neurology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pakalnis
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Denio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000503:physiopathology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*