Lamotrigine (LTG) is a new antiepileptic drug, currently used in medically intractable patients. We studied nocturnal sleep and daytime somnolence in 13 patients undergoing add-on therapy with LTG for seizures resistant to common antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). LTG caused a significant increase of REM sleep and a significant decrease of SWS, of the number of stage shifts and of the number of entries in REM. No significant changes were observed in daytime sleepiness and cognitive functions after 3 months of treatment. The increased stability of nocturnal sleep could play an important role in the anticonvulsant effect of LTG.
