[Interrelationships between different stages of slow-wave sleep and epileptic activity].

In 14 patients with generalized tonico-clonic convulsive seizures occurring both during wakefulness and sleep selective deprivation of stage IV of the slow sleep was performed. It was shown that the epileptic paroxysmal activity developed mainly at stage II of the slow sleep, while at stage IV it was observed very seldom. The selective deprivation at stage IV resulted in a considerable increase of the share of stage IV, an intensification of the paroxysmal activity at this stage, and its certain rise at the stage of the quick sleep. Possible mechanisms triggering stage IV of the slow sleep and their role in the reduction of the epileptic activity are discussed.