title: Increased susceptibility to audiogenic seizures following withdrawal of progesterone.
abstract: This investigation was performed to verify a previous hypothesis which correlates the catamenial seizures with the stoppage of progesterone secretion. White rats from a Wistar strain were tested with an electric bell. Thirty-five animals refractory to the acoustic stimulus were selected for the experiment. Each animal received 9 daily injections with progesterone, 5 mgr/day. The animals were tested with the acoustic stimulus after the 5th and the 9th injections, 24 hours after the administration of the last dose. Audiogenic seizures were obtained in 29.4% of the rats tested after 5 injections and in 40.0% of the rats tested after the 9th injection. The increased seizure susceptibility lasted 3-8 days after the hormone withdrawal. In conclusion, the withdrawal of high doses of progesterone exerts a seizure-activating effect.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology and Psychiatry, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Voiculescu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Haţegan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manole
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ulmeanu
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011374:Progesterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone