Abstract
This scientific commentary refers to 'Hyperexcitable superior colliculus and fatal brainstem spreading depolarization in a model of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy' by Cain et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcac006) and 'Ictal neural oscillatory alterations precede sudden unexpected death in epilepsy' by Gu et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcac073).