Steve Gibbs, Ph.D.

Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal
Neurologist, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal
Specialized in Epilepsy
514-338-2693
steve.gibbs@umontreal.ca

Training

M.D. specialized in Neurology (Université de Montréal)
M.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences (Université de Montréal)
Ph.D. in Neurological Sciences (in progress, Université de Montréal)
Fellowship in EEG and Epilepsy (Epilepsy Surgery Center "C. Munari" - Milan, Italie)

Research interests

Relationship between sleep and epilepsy; Sleep-related epilepsy; Local electrophysiological aspects of sleep; EEG source imaging in epilepsy.

Methodological approaches

High density and intra cranial EEG, electrical source analysis imaging, EEG spectral analysis, pharmacology, clinical studies.

Fundings

Salary award from the Fonds de la recherche du Québec

My team

Tyna Paquette, M.Sc.

Research Associate

Cynthia Thompson, Ph.D.

Research Associate

Selected publications

Gibbs, SA, Proserpio P, Francione S, Mai R, Cardinale F, Sartori I, Castana L, Plazzi G, Tinuper P, Cossu M, Lo Russo G, Tassi L, Nobili L. Clinical features of sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy in relation to the seizure-onset zone: A review of 135 surgically treated cases. Epilepsia 2019, 60(4):707-717. doi: 10.1111/epi.14690.

Gibbs SA, Proserpio P, Francione S, Mai S, et al. Seizure duration and latency of hypermotor manifestations distinguish frontal from extra-frontal onset in sleep-related hypermotor epilepsy (SHE). Epilepsia 2018; 59(9):e130-e134. PMID: 30009443

De Carli F, Proserpio P, Morrone E, Sartori I, Ferrara M, Gibbs SA et al. Activation of motor cortex during phasic rapid eye movement sleep. Annals of Neurology 2016. Feb ; 79(2) :326-30. PMID: 26164370

Gibbs SA, Proserpio P, Terzaghi M, Pigorini A et al. Sleep¬related epileptic behaviors and non-REM arousal parasomnias: insights from stereo-¬‐EEG. Sleep Medicine Reviews 2016 Feb;25:4-20. PMID: 26164370

Sarasso S, Pigorini A, Proserpio P, Gibbs SA, Massimini M, Nobili L. Fluid boundaries between wake and sleep: experimental evidence from Stereo-EEG recordings. Archives Italiennes de Biologie 2014; 152(2-3):169-177. PMID: 25828688

Projects

Sleep and epilepsy

A close relationship between epilepsy and sleep has been recognized since ancient times. The study of brain electrophysiology and the use of electroencephalography (EEG) have provided insight into the influence of sleep in epilepsy, but the processes underlying this relationship are only partially understood. Overall, there is a reciprocal relationship between sleep and epilepsy: sleep affects epilepsy and epilepsy affects sleep. However, some syndromes are more strongly influenced by sleep than others. Some patients have seizures only during sleep, while for others it is very rare. The team of Dr. Steve Gibbs, neurologist specializing in epilepsy and sleep medicine, uses different techniques such as video-EEG-polysomnography, high-density EEG and intracranial EEG, imaging by EEG source analysis as well as that advanced signal analysis methods with the aim of 1) characterizing the clinical and electrophysiological properties of sleep-related epilepsies; 2) understand the role of the different phases of sleep in the promotion and inhibition of epileptic seizures; and 3) to aid in the diagnosis of sleep-related epilepsies. His work has the overall objective of deepening our understanding of the interrelationship between sleep and epilepsy with the aim of facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy and improving the quality of life of patients living with this condition.