The Relationship Between Sleep, Epilepsy, and Development: a Review

Purpose of ReviewTo review the relationship between sleep, neurodevelopment, and epilepsy and potential underlying physiological mechanisms.Recent FindingsRecent studies have advanced our understanding of the role of sleep in early brain development and epilepsy. Epileptogenesis has been proposed to occur when there is a failure of normal adaptive processes of synaptic and homeostatic plasticity. This sleep-dependent transformation may explain the cognitive impairment seen in epilepsy, especially when occurring early in life. The glymphatic system, a recently discovered waste clearance system of the central nervous system, has been described as a potential mechanism underlying the relationship between sleep and seizures and may account for the common association between sleep deprivation and increased seizure risk.Epilepsy and associated sleep disturbances can critically affect brain development and neurocognition. Here we highlight recent findings on this topic and emphasize the importance of screening for sleep concerns in people with epilepsy.

Automated summary

The purpose of this review is to examine the relationship between sleep, neurodevelopment, and epilepsy and explore the underlying physiological mechanisms. Recent studies have enhanced our understanding of the role of sleep in early brain development and epileptogenesis. Neurodevelopmental impairments in epilepsy may be explained by a failure in normal synaptic and homeostatic plasticity processes that depend on sleep. The recently discovered glymphatic system, a waste clearance system in the central nervous system, has been proposed as a potential mechanism linking sleep and seizures, and may explain the association between sleep deprivation and increased seizure risk.