Seizure likelihood varies with day-to-day variations in sleep duration in patients with refractory focal epilepsy

Interpretation

The results from this paper suggest that day-to-day deviations from regular sleep duration correlates with changes in seizure probability. Sleeping longer, by 1·66 ± 0·52 h, may offer protective effects for patients with refractory focal epilepsy, reducing seizure risk. Furthermore, the occurrence of a seizure may disrupt sleep patterns by elongating sleep and, if the seizure occurs during sleep, reducing its quality.

Authors

Katrina L. Dell, Daniel E. Payne, Vaclav Kremen, Matias I. Maturana, Vaclav Gerla, Petr Nejedly, Gregory A. Worrell, Lhotska Lenka, Filip Mivalt, Raymond C. Boston, Benjamin H. Brinkmann, Wendyl D’Souza, Anthony N. Burkitt, David B. Grayden, Levin Kuhlmann, Dean R. Freestone, and Mark J. Cook.