Journal of Sleep Disorders & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Epilepsy: Role of Sleep and Mood Disturbance

Aji BM, Elhadd K and Larner AJ

Study background: Complaints of sleep disturbance are frequently encountered in patients with epilepsy, as are subjective memory complaints. Since the former may contribute to the latter, identification of sleep disturbance may contribute to diagnosis and treatment of subjective memory complaints in patients with epilepsy.

Methods: Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS), a validated sleep scale, was administered to consecutive new patients attending a dedicated epilepsy outpatient clinic based in a regional neuroscience centre, along with the five-point subjective memory complaint (SMC) Likert scale and a two-item mood screener.

Results: Sleep disturbance identified using JSS was more frequent in patients with subjective memory complaint, as was mood disturbance (both p<0.02).

Conclusion: Identifying sleep disturbance using a simple sleep screening scale may contribute to both diagnosis and treatment of subjective memory complaints in patients with epilepsy.

Published Date: 2019-01-07; Received Date: 2018-12-12