The Connection between Sleep Spindles and Seizures in Schizencephaly: A Case Report - Abstract
Objective: The aim of this case report is to define the interaction between sleep and epilepsy (and, sleep spindles and seizures), also the importance of electrophysiological follow up in sleep laboratory and correct diagnostic approach.
Background: Sleep spindles are generated from the thalamus. Sleep spindles and seizures originate from the same type of dynamical system. Schizencephaly is a rare congenital disorder of cell migration with defect in sulcation. It is characterized by gray matter lined clefts.
Results: The case has complaints of short-term paresthesia in right arm at daytime and morning. Brain MRI showed us “Cortical Heterotopia” at left temporoparietal area. In polisomnography (PSG) analysis, there were no sleep spindles, mostly there were delta wave oscillations together with repeated seizures.
Conclusions: The absence of sleep spindles in PSG, presence of epileptic seizures and somatic complaints of the patient together with the appearance of heterotopic area on brain MRI led us to think about the influenced of associative thalamocortical tracts.