Circadian profiles of focal epileptic seizures: A need for reappraisal
Introduction from Dr Markus Reuber, editor-in-chief of Seizure
Seizure 21/6 has published Circadian profiles of focal epileptic seizures: A need for reappraisal
Many people with epilepsy are aware that their seizures are more likely to occur at certain times of the day or night. Although the idea that seizures can be linked to biological rhythms can be found in some of the oldest scientific writings about epilepsy, we are only just beginning to understand the complex relationships between epileptic seizures and the neuroendocrine mechanisms, which make up the body’s internal clock. Recent studies unpicking the physiology of the sleeping and waking complement studies providing insights into the pathophysiology of particular epilepsies, for instance genetic disorders such as autosomal-dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE). The review ‘A reappraisal of Circadian Profiles of Focal Epileptic Seizures’ by Miguel Cortez et al. summarises our current understanding of the bidirectional interactions between epilepsy and our internal clock. The accompanying brief editorial by Tobias Loddenkemper, Associate Editor of Seizure, highlights the potential of future research in this area.
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