Sleep Disruption Pattern - Epilepsy Monitoring Unit

Introducing a Structured Sleep Disruption Pattern to Provoke Earlier Seizures During Epilepsy Monitoring Unit Admissions

Epilepsy affects millions worldwide, with 40% of patients experiencing uncontrolled seizures despite medication. Comprehensive epilepsy centers recommend continuous video-electroencephalography monitoring to define seizure type and distinguish mimickers. This process, however, is resource-intensive, with lengthy hospital stays. The investigators' recent study identified a heightened association between arousals and epileptic activity in drug-resistant focal epilepsy patients. Building on these findings, the investigators aim to explore whether disrupting sleep with an alarm system triggers earlier occurrence of seizures, potentially offering insights to reduce hospital stay durations in epilepsy monitoring units.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 14 to 60 years
• EMU monitoring for presurgical evaluations
• Average 2-3 seizures per week based on pre-admission seizure diary
• Sleep as a known seizure trigger

Exclusion Criteria:

- Multiple seizures a day based on pre-admission seizure diary