Sleep patterns in the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

Serial polysomnograms were performed on 11 children with primary Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), 6 control children with other seizure disorders, and 12 who were developmentally normal. Five LGS chidren had abnormal polysomnograms with either complete absence or marked reduction of REM sleep; the other six LGS children had only a mild reduction of REM sleep. The percentage of REM in LGS children was less than in the controls with other seizure disorders (p < 0.05) or the normal children (p < 0.005). The scatter of REM percentages in LGS may imply heterogeneity of the syndrome, perhaps related to the severity of brainstem dysfunction or neurochemical derangement.