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Related Concept Videos

Sleep-Wake Cycles01:24

Sleep-Wake Cycles

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Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and  rapid eye movement (REM).
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Epilepsy and Seizures: Overview01:24

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Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder01:15

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REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder characterized by the absence of muscle paralysis that normally occurs during the REM phase of sleep. This absence allows individuals to physically act out their dreams, which are often vivid and disturbing. Common behaviors exhibited during episodes include kicking, punching, and yelling. These actions can be dangerous, potentially leading to injuries for the person with RBD or their bed partner.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 25, 2025

Manipulation of Epileptiform Electrocorticograms ECoGs and Sleep in Rats and Mice by Acupuncture
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Focal epilepsy impacts rapid eye movement sleep microstructure.

Katharina Schiller1,2,3, Nicolás von Ellenrieder4, Tamir Avigdor1

  • 1Analytical Neurophysiology Lab, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.

Sleep
|October 15, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Focal epilepsy reduces sawtooth wave (STW) activity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, particularly in extratemporal lobe epilepsy. This suggests epilepsy disrupts REM sleep brain oscillations even with low seizure activity.

Keywords:
REM sleepepilepsyhigh-density EEGpolysomnographysawtooth waves

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Simultaneous Eye Tracking and Single-Neuron Recordings in Human Epilepsy Patients
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Simultaneous Eye Tracking and Single-Neuron Recordings in Human Epilepsy Patients
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Simultaneous Eye Tracking and Single-Neuron Recordings in Human Epilepsy Patients

Published on: June 17, 2019

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Epileptology

Background:

  • Epilepsy significantly impacts non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep structure.
  • The effects of epilepsy on rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, specifically sawtooth waves (STW), are less understood.
  • Sawtooth waves (STW) are key electroencephalography (EEG) oscillations generated in the cortex during REM sleep.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate global and focal disturbances of STW in patients with focal epilepsy.
  • To assess the impact of epilepsy on REM sleep micro-structure using high-density EEG (HD-EEG).

Main Methods:

  • Overnight HD-EEG and polysomnography were performed on 22 patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy and 12 healthy controls.
  • Analysis included STW rate, duration, frequency, power, spatial extent, interictal epileptiform discharge (IED) rates, and sleep homeostatic properties.
  • Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and extratemporal lobe epilepsy were specifically analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Patients with focal epilepsy exhibited significantly reduced STW rate and duration compared to controls.
  • These reductions were more pronounced in patients with extratemporal lobe epilepsy and during the first sleep cycle.
  • No significant regional decrease in STW was observed on the side of the epileptic focus compared to the contralateral side.

Conclusions:

  • Focal epilepsy, especially extratemporal lobe epilepsy, is associated with a global reduction in REM sleep STW activity.
  • These findings indicate that epilepsy can disrupt cortical oscillations during REM sleep, even when epileptic activity is minimal.
  • Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these REM sleep disturbances in epilepsy.