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Dream Recall Frequency in Epilepsy Patients with Partial and Generalized Seizures: A Dream Diary Study

Enrica Bonanni, Carlo Cipolli, Alfonso Iudice, Michela Mazzetti, Luigi Murri

Epilepsia August 1, 2002 DOI: 10.1046/j.1528-1157.2002.48101.x (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational cohort Peer reviewed
Sample size 61
Population Patients with complex partial seizures (right or left temporal lobe focus) and patients with idiopathic generalized seizures
Duration 60-day dream diary
Topics Dreaming
Key findings Dream recall frequency is about twice as high in patients with complex partial seizures as in those with generalized seizures, independent of focus side, lesion presence, or previous-day seizures.

Abstract

Summary: Purpose: The frequency of dream recall (DR) in patients with brain diseases has proved to be indicative of the relation between sleep disturbances and the functioning of cognitive processes during sleep. In this study we attempted to ascertain whether DR frequency in patients with complex partial seizures (CPSs) is higher than that in those with generalized seizures.Methods: DR frequency was assessed by means of a 60‐day dream diary in patients with CPSs, whose epileptic focus was in the right (n = 12) or left temporal lobe (n = 28), and with idiopathic generalized seizures (n = 21). The patients enrolled in the study were not impaired in global cognitive and memory functioning.Results: The ability to recall dreams was established in nearly all patients with either CPSs or generalized seizures. DR frequency resulted significantly higher (about twice) in patients with CPSs, regardless of (a) the side of the epileptic focus, (b) the presence of a cerebral lesion detectable on a computed tomography (CT) scan, or (c) the occurrence of seizures in the previous day.Conclusions: These findings indicate that overall, DR occurs in medicated epilepsy patients with CPSs more frequently than reported in previous studies. The high DR frequency observed in these patients, regardless of the side of the epileptic focus, is in agreement with the assumption that tempoparietal areas of both hemispheres are involved in the production and recall of the dream experience.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... 2009 Observational study n = 6
Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years 2002 Prospective observational study n = 116
Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... 1987 Case-control study n = 11
The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams 2004 Observational cohort n = 147
The prevalence of nightmares and their independence from anxiety. Undergraduates 1990 Observational study using daily dream logs n = 220

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