title: Is the role of estrogens and estrogen receptors in epilepsy still underestimated?
abstract: The etiology of epilepsy still represents an open subject of discussions and research. Contrary to the majority of diseases for which drugs are developed following the origin of disease, epilepsy is treated symptomatically because it is perceived to have diverse causes. Recent results of oncological, neurological, developmental and biochemical studies suggest that the reproductive dysfunction in men and women, as a side effect related with antiepileptic therapy, points to the single origin of this disease. It seems that contrary to the present definition of estrogen as a compound affecting seizure susceptibility, based on causal chains: of increased estrogen levels (alcohol intake) and seizure, fact that all antiepileptic drugs are aromatase inhibitors or have estrogen binding properties, described cases of seizures in epileptic patients taking quinine as preventive therapy against malaria, impact of photic activation and sleep on estrogen level, it can be assumed that estrogen plays the leading role in the mutual origin of different types of epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c 2, Zagreb, Croatia. afucic@imi.hr
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fucic
authors.forename: Snjezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miskov
authors.forename: Davor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zeljezić
authors.forename: Nenad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bogdanovic
authors.forename: Jelena
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katić
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gjergja
authors.forename: Ello
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karelson
authors.forename: Marija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gamulin
mesh_terms: D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen