Catamenial Epilepsy: A Review
Michael E. Newmark
Epilepsy Branch, Neurological Disorders Program, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205
Search for more papers by this authorJ. Kiffin Penry
Epilepsy Branch, Neurological Disorders Program, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205
*Professor of Neurology and Associate Dean for Neurosciences Development, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103.
Search for more papers by this authorMichael E. Newmark
Epilepsy Branch, Neurological Disorders Program, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205
Search for more papers by this authorJ. Kiffin Penry
Epilepsy Branch, Neurological Disorders Program, National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20205
*Professor of Neurology and Associate Dean for Neurosciences Development, Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27103.
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Summary: This review of 126 reports on catamenial epilepsy describes seizure exacerbations associated with the menses. The importance of hormonal measurements, the influence of antiepileptic drugs and oral contraceptives, and the significance of hormonal changes on epilepsy are evaluated. The EEG changes during menses are discussed. Explanations for conflicting data are offered, and potential future investigations on catamenial epilepsy are suggested.
RESUMEN
Esta revisión de 126 casos de “epilepsyía catamenial” describe la exacerbación de las crisis durante los periodos menstruales. La importancia de las mediciones hormonales, de la influencia entre anticomiciales y contraceptivos orales y la significación de los cambios hormonales en la epilepsyía son tratadas en este estudio. Se dan explicaciones para los datos contradictories existentes y se sugieren vias de investigación potencial sobre la “epilepsyía catamenial”.
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