Post-ictal circulating levels of allopregnanolone in children with partial or generalized seizures.
BACKGROUND
Allopregnanolone (3alpha-hydroxy-5alpha-pregnan-20-one) is a neurosteroid with a potent modulating activity on the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(a) receptor complex. It plays a key role in the epileptogenesis of partial seizures. Serum allopregnanolone concentrations significantly increase in the postcritical phase. In the present study we investigated the post-ictal serum allopregnanolone levels in children with partial seizures and generalized seizures, respectively.


METHODS
Three groups of subjects were included in the study. Group 1 consisted of 18 children affected by complex partial seizures. Group 2 consisted of 11 children presenting with generalized epilepsy. Group 3 consisted of 20 healthy age-matched subjects. Serum allopregnanolone levels were assayed in the inter-ictal phase and within 30 min after an epileptic event.


RESULTS
The data we obtained suggest that circulating allopregnanolone level significantly increases in the post-ictal phase. However, we found no significant differences in the post-ictal serum allopregnanolone concentrations between patients with partial seizures and those with generalized seizures.


CONCLUSIONS
Further studies are needed to establish if allopregnanolone is a reliable circulating marker of epileptic seizures. However, our observations seem to indicate that post-ictal circulating allopregnanolone level is not useful in differentiating focal and generalized epilepsy events.
Grosso
Salvatore
S
Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Reproductive Medicine, University of Siena, Viale M. Bracci, Le Scotte, 53100 Siena, Italy.
Luisi
Stefano
S
Berardi
Rosario
R
Mostardini
Rosa
R
Cordelli
Duccio Maria
DM
Morgese
Guido
G
Petraglia
Felice
F
Balestri
Paolo
P
D000777:Anesthetics / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002845:Chromatography / Q000379:methods; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000777:Anesthetics; D011280:Pregnanolone