![]() ![]() Epilepsy is not only characterized by seizures, but it is further complicated by significant comorbidities such as cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorders ( Fisher et al., 2005 Keezer et al., 2016). These observations, together with current knowledge on dream neurophysiology and the links between epilepsy and sleep, suggest that epilepsy may impact not only wake- but also sleep-related cognition.Įpilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by an “enduring predisposition to generate epileptic seizures,” defined as “transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain” ( Fisher et al., 2005). Indeed, the incorporation of seizure symptoms in dream content has been described, concomitant or not with a focal epileptic discharge during sleep, suggesting that epilepsy might directly or indirectly interfere with dreaming. While several confounding factors (anti-seizure medications, depression and anxiety disorders, cognitive impairment) may partly account for these changes, some observations suggest an effect of seizures themselves on dreams. ![]() ![]() The content of dreams is also disturbed in epilepsy patients, being more negative and with more familiar settings. The frequency of dream recall is indeed decreased in patients with epilepsy, especially in those with primary generalized seizures. Epilepsy is therefore likely to influence dreaming as one sleep-related cognitive activity. The interactions between epilepsy and sleep are numerous and the impact of epilepsy on cognition is well documented. 3Center for Sleep Medicine and Respiratory Diseases, Lyon University Hospital, Lyon 1 University, Lyon, France.2Analytical Neurophysiology Lab, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.1Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028-PAM Team, Lyon, France.Aurélien de la Chapelle 1, Birgit Frauscher 2, Amandine Valomon 1, Perrine Marie Ruby 1† and Laure Peter-Derex 1,3*† ![]()
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