Hormonal disregulation and catamenial epilepsy.
Six epileptic women, showing a clear increase in seizure frequency in the perimenstrual period, were studied during three consecutive menstrual cycles. At each control seizure occurrence, EEG recordings, endocrine profile and antiepileptic drug plasma levels were evaluated. The only pathological finding was the progesterone deficiency with a relative hyperestrogenism during the late luteal phase. Our data agree with other reports suggesting that catamenial epilepsy may result from a sex hormone disregulation.
Narbone
M C
MC
1st Department of Neurology, University of Messina, Italy.
Ruello
C
C
Oliva
A
A
Baviera
G
G
D'Amico
D
D
Bramanti
P
P
Di Perri
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000097:blood*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000097:blood*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000502:physiology; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000097:blood*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood
D004967:Estrogens; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011374:Progesterone