Levetiracetam Treatment of Children With Subclinical Sleep-Activated Epileptiform Activity (SSEA)
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2010-03-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
In clinical practice at the National centre for epilepsy (SSE) in Norway we see many children
who have subclinical epileptiform activity in EEG that increases substantially during slow
wave sleep (SSEA; subclinical sleep-activated epileptiform activity). They may or may not
have seizures. Hence, according to the definition some children with SSEA do not suffer from
epilepsy because they do not experience seizures. Many of these children have symptoms such
as: attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (AD/HD), dyslectic problems, sleep problems,
tantrums or autistic symptoms . We hypothesize that this subclinical epileptiform activity
during slow sleep may act negatively on cognitive functions, language and behaviour in some
children; even when the spike-wave discharges are less frequent than in CSWS (continuous
spike-waves during slow sleep).