[Studies of a full night's sleep in patients with absences]

Clinical electro-encephalography and especially the simultaneous recording of EEG values and other physiological parameters can greatly contribute to investigations into the neurophysiological aspects of sleep disturbances in patients suffering from attacks. In the case of absences peak potentials have been found in all phases of sleep, with a reduction in the pattern-like arrangement of the peak potentials and an increase in the irregular spike-and-wave complexes. During the dream phase, however, the peak potentials of these patients were primarily in the form of "patterns" comparable to the situation when they were awake. This evidence of epileptic activity throughout all sleep phases of patients suffering from absences makes it necessary to give anticonvulsive drugs in three doses distributed evenly over the entire day.