The enforced nap: a simple effective method of inducing sleep activation in epileptics.

The authors routinely carry out sleep activation in suspected cases of epilepsy when the EEG performed in the waking state gives insufficient data. The technique used, referred to as 'the forced nap', allows the induction of 60 min sleep in 80% of all subjects and 90% of those under 16 years of age. This method gives results comparable with (and probably better than) those obtained by EEG recording after 24 h sleep deprivation, but is much simpler to carry out and can be used by all hospital-based EEG laboratories.

[Appearance of EEG abnormalities in two patients during long-term treatment with B vitamins].

Two female patients, one treated for epilepsy by phenobarbital (PB) and carbamazepine (CBZ), the other suffering from neurosis and free of any drug therapy, were given group B vitamins (riboflavin and nicotinic acid respectively) and showed during the long-term administration of these vitamins 2-3 Hz generalized electro-encephalographic (EEG) abnormalities. These EEG changes were detected incidentally and were not associated with any clinical manifestation; they disappeared progressively within several weeks after discontinuation of vitamin therapy. In our opinion, it is likely that the treatment with B vitamins was entirely responsible for the EEG changes, as one of the patients did not receive any other drug, while the other did not show any significant change of PB and CBZ plasma levels during vitamin therapy.

Syncopal attacks compulsively self-induced by Valsalva's maneuver associated with typical absence seizures. A case report.

A girl of borderline intelligence developed repeated syncopal attacks that were compulsively self-induced, apparently by forced expiration against a closed glottis (Valsalva's maneuver). In addition, she had typical absence seizures triggered by her apneic attacks, which could also be induced by hyperventilation. The absence seizures were suppressed by treatment with valproate sodium, which had no effect on the self-induced apneas.

The risk of automobile accidents with seizures occurring while driving: relation to seizure type.

Automobile accidents occurred with 55% of seizures in epileptic drivers with both well-described seizures at the wheel and a well-classified epilepsy diagnosis. A further 38% of seizures would have led to accidents in less fortunate settings. Complex partial seizures occurred in 81% of patients and were responsible for 88% of accidents.