Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: A subject that spans from neurology to forensic sciences and genetics.
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is one of the most devastating complications of epilepsy, posing a significant challenge for clinicians, geneticists, and forensic specialists. It is defined as a sudden, unexpected, nontraumatic, and nondrowning death in individuals with epilepsy, with no...
| Publicado en: | Turkish Journal of Neurology Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 1 - 11 |
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| Autores principales: | , , , |
| Formato: | review tables/charts Journal Article |
| Publicado: |
Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI
2026
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| Acceso en línea: | Ver este registro en EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=192365827&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 192365827 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 30237874 O0P6 jtl: Turkish Journal of Neurology issn: 30237874 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: 2026 vid: 32 iid: 1 pid: 28155 pub: Galenos Yayinevi Tic. LTD. STI artinfo: ui: 192365827 192365827 192365827 10.55697/tnd.2026.664 192365827 ppf: 1 ppct: 10 formats: tig: atl: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: A subject that spans from neurology to forensic sciences and genetics. aug: au: Danışman, Sude Beşkoç, Caner Yücesan, Emrah Akçakaya, Nihan Hande affil: Department of Neurogenetics, İstanbul University - Cerrahpaşa, Institute of Neurological Sciences, İstanbul, Türkiye sug: subj: Epilepsy Complications Genetics Evaluation Autopsy Methods Molecular Diagnostic Techniques Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Epidemiology Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Classification Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Risk Factors Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Familial and Genetic Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy Physiopathology Genetic Screening Sequence Analysis Risk Assessment Prediction Models Heart Defects, Congenital Anemia, Sickle Cell Respiration Disorders Electroencephalography ab: Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is one of the most devastating complications of epilepsy, posing a significant challenge for clinicians, geneticists, and forensic specialists. It is defined as a sudden, unexpected, nontraumatic, and nondrowning death in individuals with epilepsy, with no identifiable toxicological or anatomical cause found during postmortem examination. It accounts for a significant portion of epilepsy-related mortality. The heterogeneous nature of SUDEP complicates accurate diagnosis, classification, and epidemiological assessment, particularly in cases lacking comprehensive death scene investigation or autopsy. Emerging evidence suggests that SUDEP is a multifactorial phenomenon involving complex interactions between seizure-induced respiratory dysfunction, autonomic instability, and cardiac arrhythmogenesis. Findings from monitored cases indicate that terminal apnea often precedes cardiac arrest, underscoring the central role of postictal respiratory failure. However, conventional autopsy often fails to reveal specific structural abnormalities, making SUDEP a diagnosis of exclusion in forensic practice. The integration of molecular autopsy has significantly advanced the understanding of SUDEP by identifying pathogenic variants in genes associated with cardiac channelopathies and epilepsy syndromes. Next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled comprehensive genetic screening in autopsy-negative cases, linking neuronal excitability and cardiac electrophysiology. These findings highlight the shared molecular mechanisms underlying epilepsy and sudden cardiac death and offer opportunities for family-based risk assessment and preventive interventions. A multidisciplinary approach that combines clinical evaluation, standardized forensic investigation, and genomic analysis is essential to improve diagnostic accuracy and risk stratification. Continued research integrating genetic, physiological, and epidemiological data is crucial to advancing precision medicine strategies and reducing the global burden of SUDEP. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: review tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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