Neurologists studying a seizure database in Western Australia have established that sleep deprivation is more likely to act as a trigger for people having seizures, rather than a provoked cause of epilepsy, according to ScienceNetwork.

Royal Perth Hospital neurologist and lead author Dr Nicholas Lawn says it is generally accepted that there is a link between sleep deprivation and seizures but what is unclear is whether seizures occurring during sleep deprivation should be regarded as a provoked cause.