Brain, Vol. 107, No. 2, 569-578, 1984
© 1984 Oxford University Press
research-article |
THE HORMONAL RESPONSES TO GENERALIZED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURES
1The Departments of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, California 94143, USA) 2The Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, California 94143, USA)
Correspondence to:
Address for correspondence: Dr M. J. Aminoff, Room 794-M, Dept. of Neurology, University of California Medical Center, San Francisco, California 94143.
We studied the hormonal responses to a generalized tonic-clonic convulsion in 20 patients with idiopathic or posttraumatic epilepsy (6 patients) or alcohol-withdrawal seizures (14 patients). We found an increase shortly after the seizure in plasma levels of ACTH, beta endorphin, beta lipotropin, prolactin, and vasopressin, and a later increase in plasma cortisol. There was no significant change in levels of growth hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicular stimulating hormone, or plasma renin activity. An increase in plasma ACTH level was accompanied by a rise in beta lipotropin and beta endorphin, and followed by a rise in plasma cortisol. In 2 patients there was no postictal increase in plasma prolactin, despite changes in other hormones. There was no difference in the nature or time course of the hormonal changes in patients with alcohol-withdrawal seizures and those with seizures from other causes.
The mechanisms subserving these changes are unknown. Nonspecific stress influences the release of certain hormones, but the absence of a significant growth hormone response suggests that this was probably not responsible for our findings. It is possible that the generalized neuronal discharge of a seizure stimulates the hypothalamus either directly, through specific neurotransmitter changes, or through the release of other substances. One possibility that we are investigating in experimental animals is that endogenous opioids are involved, especially in the release of prolactin.
Received June 7, 1983.
Revised September 20, 1983.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S Ahmad and M W Beckett Value of serum prolactin in the management of syncope Emerg. Med. J., March 1, 2004; 21(2): e3 - 3. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Z. Tunca, U. Ergene, H. Fidaner, C. Cimilli, A. Özerdem, and B. Ünal Aslan Reevaluation of Serum Cortisol in Conversion Disorder With Seizure (Pseudoseizure) Psychosomatics, April 1, 2000; 41(2): 152 - 153. [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S. R. Benbadis, B. R. Wolgamuth, H. Goren, S. Brener, and F. Fouad-Tarazi Value of Tongue Biting in the Diagnosis of Seizures Arch Intern Med, November 27, 1995; 155(21): 2346 - 2349. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 V. P. Calabrese, H. D. Gruemer, H. L. Tripathi, W. Dewey, C. A. Fortner, and R. J. DeLorenzo Serum Cortisol and Cerebrospinal Fluid {beta}-Endorphins in Status Epilepticus: Their Possible Relation to Prognosis Arch Neurol, July 1, 1993; 50(7): 689 - 693. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Meierkord, S. Shorvon, S. Lightman, and M. Trimble Comparison of the Effects of Frontal and Temporal Lobe Partial Seizures on Prolactin Levels Arch Neurol, March 1, 1992; 49(3): 225 - 230. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|