title: Beta-endorphin, somatostatin, and prolactin levels in cerebrospinal fluid of epileptic patients after generalised convulsion.
abstract: The possible role of different peptidergic systems in the postictal stage of human epilepsy was studied by measuring beta-endorphin, somatostatin, and prolactin levels by radioimmunoassay of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from nine epileptic patients. The first sample was taken within 2 hours after generalised tonic-clonic convulsion, and the second sample was obtained interictally after 1-4 days without any kind of clinically observable seizures. beta-endorphin was elevated postictally (p = 0.044) compared with interictal levels. SLI and PROL were similar in both samples. The present study suggests that in humans beta-endorphin is released into CSF during generalised seizures. This may indicate that neurons containing beta-endorphin are activated during a seizure.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D013004:Somatostatin; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D011388:Prolactin