Nocturnal plasma prolactin rise in patients with complex partial seizures.
We measured plasma prolactin and cortisol concentrations in 12 epileptic men with complex partial seizures during all-night polygraphic recording, with continuous video monitoring and sequential blood sampling at 30-minute intervals. There was a significant but moderate elevation of all-night mean plasma prolactin concentration (p less than 0.001), but not of cortisol, in epileptics when compared with normal subjects studied in a similar fashion. The data obtained in this environmentally controlled study of males with complex partial seizure disorder indicate a disruption of prolactin regulatory mechanisms resulting in a modest elevation of plasma concentrations independent of ictal electrographic discharges.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology
D011388:Prolactin