[Sleep disorders in the Unverricht-Lundborg myoclonic epilepsy syndrome].

In 3 patients with the syndrome of Unverricht-Lundborg's myoclonus-epilepsy electropolygraphic examinations were carried out during night sleep. A substantial disorganization of the sleep was revealed, the degree of which correlated with the gravity of the clinical picture. This disorganization manifested itself in pronounced changes of the electroencephalographic phenomenology of the sleep and disturbance of its structure with a prolongation of the 1st stage and the delta-sleep and a shortening of the 2nd stage and the quick sleep phase. An insufficient EEG desynchronization was noted in the periods of awakeness, drowsiness, and quick sleep: this pointed to defective functioning of the brain desynchronizing systems. In distinction from other forms of epilepsy the pathological paroxysmal activity was prevalent also in the period of the awakeness, and diminished in parallel with the depth of the sleep. The myoclonic hyperkinesis got also weaker at the stage of slow sleep, but became more intense at the quick sleep stage. The data obtained point to a pronounced dysfunction of the non-specific activating and deactivating systems of the brain in myoclonus-epilepsy. This dysfunction is associated with an organic affection of the trunco-diencephalic structures and the influence of the active epileptic process.