Influence of ivadal and depakine chrono on sleep structure in patients with epilepsy

Because of strong association between epilepsy mechanisms and sleep disturbances, the latter may deteriorate the disease course and the patient's quality of life. Thirty eight patients with epilepsy (19 men and 19 women, mean age 25,6+/-11,4 years, age at onset 19,1+/-13,3 years, the disease duration 7,2+/-6,9 years) have been examined. The control group included 10 healthy individuals. The comparative group comprised 17 patients with physiological insomnia. All the patients had sleep disturbances of different level and were given hypnotic drug ivadal, which was compared to anticonvulsant depakine chrono, directly influencing GABA-ergic brain system. After sleep corrections, positive clinical and electroencephalographic trends in epileptic patients were detected. Comparing to depakine chrono, ivadal was suggested to up-regulate GABA-ergic brain systems during sleep due to rehabilitation of physiological brain characteristics.