Bilateral dependence of sleep disorders and temporal lobe epilepsy – literature review

Abstract

Introduction. The analysis of sleep and its phases in the context of various pathophysiologies has attracted increasing attention from the scientific community; therfore, this review of the literature focuses on temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Objective. The aim of the review is to systematize and update the knowledge and research currently available on the interplay of sleep deprivation and seizures in TLE, with a focus on MTLE. Materials and method. The following keyword combinations were used to search the Pubmed, Science Direct and Google Scholar databases: sleep disturbance in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, sleep in temporal lobe epilepsy, nocturnal temporal lobe epilepsy, temporal epilepsy sleep disturbance. After applying exclusion criteria, 23 papers were selected for the review. Brief description of the state of knowledge. The publications qualified for the review were divided into 7 categories in terms of the subject of the publication. These categories relate to characteristic brain waves, memory and its consolidation processes, heart and sleep apnea, anti-epileptic drugs, motor disorders and lateralization of the discharges. Articles that did not fit into any of the previously mentioned categories were placed in the 'Other' group. Conclusions. It is agreed that sleep is an important factor that should be taken into account when selecting the appropriate treatment and researching new AEDs. Moreover, sleep is significant to the patient›s quality of life, has a profound impact on its components, for example, physical and social functions, emotions and leisure, but may also influence the effectiveness of therapy.