Sleep deprivation: a risk for epileptic seizures

There is a well-documented correlation between epilepsy and sleep deprivation. For decades, preclinical and clinical studies have shown that sleep deprivation can lead to an increased risk of epileptic seizures. Additionally, sleep deprivation has been used clinically as a diagnostic tool for epilepsy by triggering epileptiform activity. However, an underlying mechanism for this relationship is yet to be confirmed. Interestingly, a decrease in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated tonic inhibition has been shown in both epilepsy and sleep deprivation. This review focuses on the role of sleep deprivation in the induction of epileptic seizures and the possible role of reduced GABA receptor expression in the sleep-deprived state.