Brain May Reinforce Seizures during Sleep, Mayo Clinic Study Suggests
Featuring the work of CURE Epilepsy grantee Dr. Gregory Worrell
According to new research, the brain may inadvertently “learn” to have seizures by treating them like important memories to be stored. The study found that after a seizure, the brain enters a deep sleep state that mimics memory storage — and that this effect can persist into the following night’s sleep. In effect, this “saves” the seizure’s path like a normal memory, strengthening the disease.
Understanding the relationship between seizures and sleep could help explain why epilepsy can worsen over time and why memory, mood, and sleep problems are common in people with epilepsy.
The study analyzed long-term brain recordings from implanted devices in 11 people with epilepsy. Using these recordings, researchers compared sleep patterns on nights following seizures to nights when no recent seizures occurred. They found that after a seizure, the brain consistently entered a prolonged and intensified state of deep sleep, known as non-rapid eye movement or NREM sleep. During this period, slow brain waves became stronger and steeper — key features of memory consolidation — particularly within the specific brain regions where seizures originate.
At the same time, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is important for emotional processing and cognitive health, was reduced. On average, patients slept longer and spent more time in deep sleep after seizures, but they experienced less REM sleep compared with seizure-free nights.
The researchers call this process seizure-related consolidation, a phenomenon in which seizures appear to hijack the brain’s normal learning mechanisms. Rather than helping the brain recover, this post-seizure sleep state may strengthen abnormal neural circuits, creating a vicious cycle in which each seizure increases the likelihood of future seizures.
Importantly, the findings point to a potential new window for treatment — the hours and nights after a seizure — when targeted intervention could disrupt this harmful learning process.
“If we can safely intervene during this post-seizure window, we may be able to weaken seizure networks rather than reinforce them,” says Gregory Worrell, M.D., Ph.D., senior author of the study, former grantee, and former CURE Epilepsy Scientific Advisory Council member.
By combining long-term brain sensing, advanced analytics, and an understanding of how the brain adapts after seizures, the study suggests novel approaches to promote healthier brain function.
