Sleep macrostructure and cyclic alternating pattern in patients who underwent surgery for hippocampal sclerosis: A prospective controlled polysomnographic study.

Introduction: Temporal lobe epilepsy due to hippocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS) is one of the most common drug-resistant epilepsy. Surgery is currently accepted as an effective and safe therapeutic approach compared to antiseizure medications (ASMs). The study aims to evaluate the effect of surgical treatment of TLE-HS on sleep profile and architecture by subjective and objective evaluation of sleep in basal condition after one month and one year.

Sleep Disorders in Patients With Craniopharyngioma: A Physiopathological and Practical Update.

Sleep disorders (SDs) represent an important issue in patients with craniopharyngioma (CP). Nearly 70% of these patients complain of sleep-wake cycle alterations and/or excessive diurnal somnolence due to sleep-related breathing disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and/or central hypersomnia, including secondary narcolepsy. SDs may severely reduce quality of life, increase disease-related cardiorespiratory and cardiovascular morbidity, and finally play a major role in increased long-term mortality reported on patients with CP.

Subjective sleep disorders and daytime sleepiness in patients with restrictive type anorexia nervosa and effects on quality of life: a case-control study.

To evaluate sleep disorders and daytime drowsiness in a cohort of patients affected by anorexia nervosa and their impact on health-related quality of life. We evaluated patients affected by restricting-type of anorexia nervosa (AN-R) and healthy controls by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Beck Depression Index. We also used the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire to assess the quality of life in both AN-R and controls.

Effects of eslicarbazepine as add-on therapy on sleep architecture in temporal lobe epilepsy: results from "Esleep" study.

Rationale: Studies looking at the effect of antiseizure medications (ASMs) on the sleep microstructure of subjects with epilepsy are scarce. This study aims to evaluate the impact of eslicarbazepine (ESL) as add-on therapy on the sleep microstructure in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Methods: Twelve patients affected by TLE were recruited to undergo overnight polysomnography and a subjective evaluation of nocturnal sleep utilizing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and daytime somnolence through the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) before and after three months of treatment with ESL as add-on therapy.

Sleep Complaints, Sleep and Breathing Disorders in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 2.

Purpose Of Review: To update the current knowledge concerning sleep complaints and breathing disorders in myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2) and to better understand if sleep and breathing symptoms may add a further clinical definition of DM2.

Recent Findings: Although DM2 has been poorly evaluated, the most relevant sleep disorders are sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) (37.5-66.

Comparative Sleep Disturbances in Myotonic Dystrophy Types 1 and 2.

Purpose Of Review: To update current knowledge regarding sleep disturbances and myotonic dystrophies so as to better understand if sleep symptoms may help in the early recognition of the two genetic subtypes: myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2).

Recent Findings: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movements in sleep, hypersomnia, and REM sleep dysregulation are frequently described in DM1 patients. SDB does not always explain hypersomnia, but a central dysregulation of sleep-wake modulation is reported mainly in DM1.

Profile of pitolisant in the management of narcolepsy: design, development, and place in therapy.

Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and rapid eye movement sleep dysregulation, manifesting as cataplexy and sleep paralysis, as well as hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations. Disease onset may occur at any age, although adolescents and young adults are mainly affected. Currently, the diagnosis delay ranges from 8 to 10 years and drug therapy may only attenuate symptoms.

Zonisamide in the management of epilepsy in the elderly.

Zonisamide (ZNS), a second-generation antiepileptic drug, indicated as add-on treatment of focal epilepsy, has been recently approved as monotherapy for the treatment of partial seizures in adults affected by newly diagnosed epilepsy in Europe. Evidence on the efficacy and tolerability of antiepileptic drugs in the elderly is still lacking as these patients are frequently excluded from clinical trials. Here, a comprehensive overview of available data regarding the use of ZNS in the treatment of epilepsy in elderly people is provided.

Topiramate-induced periodic limb movement disorder in a patient affected by focal epilepsy.

Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is characterized by pathological periodic limb movements during sleep, insomnia and/or diurnal sleepiness, and the absence of another primary sleep disorder. We report a patient with complex partial seizures who developed PLMD while taking topiramate (TPM). He had no evidence of metabolic and/or other conditions inducing PLMD.

Improvement of restless legs syndrome by varenicline as antismoking treatment.

Varenicline is a partial agonist at the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor effective as smoking cessation pharmacotherapy. We present a familial case of severe restless legs syndrome (RLS) resistant to polytherapy who showed a consistent and effective amelioration of RLS symptoms after introduction of varenicline as antismoking drug.

Effects of zonisamide as add-on therapy on sleep-wake cycle in focal epilepsy: a polysomnographic study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of zonisamide (ZNS) as adjunctive therapy on sleep-wake cycle and daytime somnolence in adult patients affected by focal epilepsy.

Methods: Thirteen patients affected by focal epilepsy were recruited to undergo a 24-hour ambulatory polysomnography, Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), and a subjective evaluation of nocturnal sleep by means of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and daytime somnolence by means of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) before and after 3 months of treatment with ZNS as add-on therapy.

Results: Twelve patients completed the study.