Professional background

Sofia Eriksson is a consultant neurologist and honorary associate professor at National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and UCLH and the UCL/Institute of Neurology. She is the hospital’s clinical lead for epilepsy as well as neurological sleep disorders. In 2019 she was elected to the council of the Association of British neurologists (ABN) and is also a member of the ABN’s expert panel for epilepsy and the European Academy of Neurology’s scientific panel for Sleep-Wake disorders.

She started her medical and research career in Göteborg, Sweden before joining the Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy (DCEE) at the Institute of Neurology/UCL in London. She was awarded her PhD in 2003 after which she did a post doc with the DCEE before finalising her specialist training in neurology. She has been working as a consultant at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery since 2008.

Her special interests are epilepsy and neurological sleep disorders such as parasomnias and narcolepsy.

Research interests

Parasomnias, particularly investigations and treatment of NREM parasomnias, sleep disorders in neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, dementia and Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, particularly focusing on brain imaging and histopathology.

Languages spoken

Swedish

Publications

  • Nobili L, de Weerd A, Rubboli G, Beniczky S, Derry C, Eriksson S, Halasz P, Hogl B, Santamaria J, Khatami R, Ryvlin P, Remi J, Tinuper P, Bassetti C, Manni R, Koutroumanidis M and Vignatelli L. Standard procedures for the diagnostic pathway of sleeprelated epilepsies and comorbid sleep disorders: A European Academy of Neurology, European Sleep Research Society and International League against Epilepsy-Europe consensus review. J Sleep Res and Eur J Neurol, in press
  • Sani TP, Bond RL, Marshall CR, Hardy CJD, Russell LL, Moore KM, Slattery CF, Paterson RW, Woollacott ICO, Wendi IP, Crutch SJ, Schott JM, Rohrer JD, Eriksson SH, Dijk D-J and Warren JD. Sleep symptoms in syndromes of frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: A proof-of-principle behavioural study. eNeurologicalSci. 2019 Dec; 17: 100212
  • Rodionov R, O'Keeffe A, Nowell M, Rizzi M, Vakharia VN, Wykes V, Eriksson SH, Miserocchi A, McEvoy AW, Ourselin S, Duncan JS. Increasing the accuracy of 3D EEG implantations. J Neurosurg. 2019;17:1-8
  • Khan S, Nobili L, Khatami R, Loddenkemper T, Cajochen C, Dijk DJ, Eriksson SH. Circadian rhythm and epilepsy. Lancet Neurol. 2018;17(12):1098-1108
  • Sisodiya SM; Epilepsy Advisory Group for the Association of British Neurologists. Valproate and childbearing potential: new regulations. Pract Neurol. 2018 Jun;18(3):176-178.
  • Balint B, Antelmi E, Mencacci NE, Batla A, Eriksson SH, Walker MC, Bronstein AM, Bhatia KP. Oculomotor apraxia and disrupted sleep with nocturnal ballistic bouts in ADCY5-related disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2018 Sep;54:103-106.
  • Hwang YT, Lakshmanan R, Davagnanam I, Thompson AGB, Lynch DS, Houlden H, Bajaj N, Eriksson SH, Bamiou DE, Warren JD. Brainstem phenotype of cathepsin A–related arteriopathy with strokes and leukoencephalopathy. Neurol Genet. 2017 Aug; 3(4): e165
  • Stowe J, Andrews N, Kosky C, Dennis G, Eriksson S, Hall A, Leschziner G, Reading P, Shneerson JM, Donegan K, Miller E. Risk of Narcolepsy after AS03 Adjuvanted Pandemic A/H1N1 2009 Influenza Vaccine in Adults: A Case-Coverage Study in England. Sleep. 2016 May 1;39(5):1051-7
  • Reeves C, Tachrount M, Thomas D, Michalak Z, Liu J, Ellis M, Diehl B, Miserocchi A, McEvoy AW, Eriksson S, Yousry T, Thom M. Combined Ex Vivo 9.4T MRI and Quantitative Histopathological Study in Normal and Pathological Neocortical Resections in Focal Epilepsy. Brain Pathol. 2015 Aug 13. doi: 10.1111/bpa.12298
  • Fois C, Wright M-A, Sechi GP, Walker MC, Eriksson SH. The utility of Polysomnography for the diangosis of NREM parasomnias: an observational study over four years of clinical practice.Journal of Neurology. J Neurol. 2015;262(2):385-93
  • Liu JY, Ellis M, Brooke-Ball H, de Tisi J, Eriksson SH, Brandner S, Sisodiya SM, Thom M. High-throughput, automated quantification of white matter neurons in mild malformation of cortical development in epilepsy. Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2014 13;2:72.
  • Perumal MB, Kovac S, Shah A, Wood N, Houlden H, Eriksson S, Walker M. Hypersomnia with dilated pupils in adenosine monophosphate deaminase (AMPD) deficiency. J Sleep Res. 2014;23(1):118-20.
  • Kovac S, Wright MA, Eriksson SH, Zrinzo L, Matharu M, Walker MC. The effect of posterior hypothalamus region deep brain stimulation on sleep. Cephalalgia. 2014;34(3):219-23
  • Zaccara G, Sisodiya SM, Giovannelli F, Walker MC, Heaney DC, Angus-Leppan H, Wehner T, Eriksson SH, Liu R, Rugg-Gunn F, Shorvon SD, Sander JW. Network meta-analysis and the comparison of efficacy and tolerability of anti-epileptic drugs for treatment of refractory focal epilepsy. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013;76(5):827-8.
  • Khalil A, Wright M-A, Walker MC, Eriksson SH. Loss of Rapid Eye Movement Sleep atonia in patients with REM sleep behavioral disorder, narcolepsy and isolated loss of REM atonia. J Clin Sleep Medicine. 2013;9(10):1039-48
  • Mantoan L, Eriksson SH, Nisbet AP, Walker MC . Adult-Onset NREM Parasomnia with Hypnopompic Hallucinatory Pain: A Case Report. Sleep. 2013 Feb 1;36(2):287-9
  • Chaudhary UJ, Centeno M, Carmichael DW, Vollmar C, Rodionov R, Bonelli S, Stretton J, Pressler R, Eriksson SH, Sisodiya S, Friston K, Duncan JS, Lemieux L, Koepp M. Imaging the interaction: Epileptic discharges, working memory, and behavior. Hum Brain Mapp. 2012 Jun 19, epublished
  • Lockwood-Estrin G, Thom M, Focke NK, Symms MR, Martinian L, Sisodiya SM, Duncan JS, Eriksson SH. Correlating 3T MRI and histopathology in patients undergoing epilepsy surgery. J Neurosci Methods. 2012;205(1):182-9
  • Eriksson SH. Epilepsy and sleep. Curr Opin Neurol. 2011 Apr;24(2):171-6.
  • Thom M, Eriksson S, Martinian L, Caboclo LO, McEvoy AW, Duncan JS, Sisodiya SM. Temporal lobe sclerosis associated with hippocampal sclerosis in temporal lobe epilepsy: neuropathological features. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2009 Aug;68(8):928-38.
  • Eriksson SH, Free SL, Thom M, Symms MR, Martinian L, Duncan JS, Sisodiya SM. Quantitative grey matter histological measures do not correlate with grey matter probability values from in vivo MRI in the temporal lobe. J Neurosci Methods. 2009 Jun 30;181(1):111-8
  • Eriksson SH, Thom M, Symms MR, Focke NK, Martinian L, Sisodiya SM, Duncan JS. Cortical neuronal loss and hippocampal sclerosis are not detected by VBM in individual epilepsy surgery patients. Human Brain Mapping, 2009 Oct;30(10):3351-60.
  • Eriksson SH, Thom M, Bartlett PA, Symms MR, McEvoy AW, Sisodiya SM, Duncan JS. PROPELLER MRI visualizes detailed pathology of hippocampal sclerosis. Epilepsia. 2008 Jan 49(1):33-9
  • Eriksson SH, Free SL, Thom M, Martinian L, Symms MR, Salmenpera TM, McEvoy AW, Harkness W, Duncan JS, Sisodiya SM. Correlation of quantitative MRI and neuropathology in epilepsy surgical resection specimens--T2 correlates with neuronal tissue in gray matter. Neuroimage. 2007 Aug 1;37(1):48-55
  • Eriksson SH, Free SL, Thom M, Martinian L, Sisodiya SM. Methodological aspects of 3D and automated 2D analyses of white matter neuronal density in temporal lobe epilepsy. Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2006 Jun;32(3):260-70.
  • Eriksson SH, Free SL, Thom M, Harkness W, Sisodiya SM, Duncan JS. Reliable registration of preoperative MRI with histopathology after temporal lobe resections. Epilepsia. 2005 Oct;46(10):1646-53.
  • Eriksson SH, Nordborg C, Rydenhag B, Malmgren K. Parenchymal lesions in pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy: dual and multiple pathology. Acta Neurol Scand. 2005 Sep;112(3):151-6.
  • Eriksson SH, Malmgren K, Nordborg C. Microdysgenesis in epilepsy. Acta Neurol Scand. 2005 May;111(5):279-90.
  • Eriksson SH, Nordborg C, Thom M, Sisodiya SM. Microdysgenesis in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Ann Neurol. 2004 Apr;55(4):596-7
  • Eriksson SH, Free SL, Malmgren K, Nordborg C. Evaluation of nerve cell distribution in cerebral cortex--a proposal for a new method applied to patients with epilepsy. J Neurosci Methods. 2003 Sep 30;128(1-2):151-7.
  • Rugg-Gunn FJ, Eriksson SH, Boulby PA, Symms MR, Barker GJ, Duncan JS. Magnetization transfer imaging in focal epilepsy. Neurology. 2003 May 27;60(10):1638-45.
  • Eriksson SH, Symms MR, Rugg-Gunn FJ, Boulby PA, Wheeler-Kingshott CA, Barker GJ, Duncan JS, Parker GJ. Exploring white matter tracts in band heterotopia using diffusion tractography. Ann Neurol. 2002 Sep;52(3):327-34.
  • Rugg-Gunn FJ, Eriksson SH, Symms MR, Barker GJ, Thom M, Harkness W, Duncan JS. Diffusion tensor imaging in refractory epilepsy. Lancet. 2002 May 18;359(9319):1748-51. 
  • Eriksson SH, Rydenhag B, Uvebrant P, Malmgren K, Nordborg C. Widespread microdysgenesis in therapy-resistant epilepsy--a case report on post-mortem findings. Acta Neuropathol (Berl). 2002 Jan;103(1):74-7.
  • Eriksson SH, Stepney A, Symms MR, Woermann FG, Niendorf T, Barker GJ, Kendall B, Stevens JM. Ultra-fast low-angle rapid acquisition and relaxation enhancement (UFLARE) in patients with epilepsy. Neuroradiology. 2001 Dec;43(12):1040-5.
  • Eriksson SH, Thom M, Heffernan J, Lin WR, Harding BN, Squier MV, Sisodiya SM. Persistent reelin-expressing Cajal-Retzius cells in polymicrogyria. Brain. 2001 Jul;124(Pt 7):1350-61.
  • Rugg-Gunn FJ, Eriksson SH, Symms MR, Barker GJ, Duncan JS. Diffusion tensor imaging of cryptogenic and acquired partial epilepsies. Brain. 2001 Mar;124(Pt 3):627-36.
  • Eriksson SH, Rugg-Gunn FJ, Symms MR, Barker GJ, Duncan JS. Diffusion tensor imaging in patients with epilepsy and malformations of cortical development. Brain. 2001 Mar;124(Pt 3):617-26.
  • Nordborg C, Eriksson S, Rydenhag B, Uvebrant P, Malmgren K. Microdysgenesis in surgical specimens from patients with epilepsy: occurrence and clinical correlations. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1999 Oct;67(4):521-4.
  • Eriksson S, Malmgren K, Rydenhag B, Jonsson L, Uvebrant P, Nordborg C. Surgical treatment of epilepsy--clinical, radiological and histopathological findings in 139 children and adults. Acta Neurol Scand. 1999 Jan;99(1):8-15.