title: Nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy.
abstract: Nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) is a syndrome of heterogeneous etiology, characterized by the occurrence of sleep-related seizures with different complexity and duration. Genetic, lesional, and cryptogenetic NFLE forms have been described. NFLE is generally considered a benign clinical entity, although severe, drug-resistant forms do exist. A significant proportion of sleep-related complex motor seizures, hardly distinguishable from NFLE, originate outside the frontal lobe. Moreover, the distinction of NFLE from the non-rapid eye movement arousal parasomnias may be challenging. A correct diagnosis of NFLE should be based on a diagnostic approach that includes the anamnestic, video-polysomnographic, morphological, and genetic aspects. Studies on the relationships between genes, arousal regulatory mechanisms, and epileptogenesis, using both clinical and experimental models of NFLE might provide key insights in the interrelationship between sleep and epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Epilepsy Surgery, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20154, Milan, Italy, lino.nobili@ospedaleniguarda.it.
authors.forename: Lino
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nobili
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Proserpio
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Combi
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Provini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Plazzi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bisulli
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tassi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tinuper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy