ACUTE HYPERTENSION CAUSING BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER BREAKDOWN DURING EPILEPTIC SEIZURES

The influence of shortlasting (less than 1 min) epileptic seizures on the permeability to protein of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was studied in rats. The protein tracer, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used as marker substance. Monitoring arterial blood pressure (BP) and electroencephalogramme (EEG) seizures were induced electrically after HRP was given intravenously. Following a single electroshock seizure slight staining of brain tissue was seen, while after 10 electroshock stimuli followed by sustained seizure activity, this phenomenon was more pronounced. If 10 electroshock stimuli were preceded by transsection of the spinal cord, blood pressure increase was abolished and no tissue staining was seen in spite of epileptic seizure activity recorded on EEG. This means that the acute hypertension and not the seizure activity per se is the mechanism behind the breakdown of the BBB during epileptic seizures. Electron microscopy revealed an increased vesicular transport (pinocytosis) across the endothelial cells, while the vascular structure remained intact.     

EPILEPTIC SEIZURES IN WOMEN RELATED to PLASMA ESTROGEN and PROGESTERONE DURING the MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Nine periods in seven women with partial epilepsy have been investigated with respect to frequency of fits, and estrogen-progesterone levels in blood plasma. Six cycles with ovulation showed a positive correlation between the number of secondary generalized seizures and the mean estrogen/progesterone (E/P) ratios and a negative correlation to plasma progesterone levels. Three periods without ovulation showed an increase in the number of fits during days of high estrogen. the number of fits seemed not to be correlated to changes in body weight.     

SEIZURES IN CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME: ETIOLOGY, CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOME

Of 737 patients with Down syndrome, newborn to 22 years of age, 47 had a history of at least one seizure. Of those, 24 children had seizures with an identifiable etiology, usually related to a common medical complication of Down syndrome: neonatal hypoxia-ischemia, hypoxia from congenital heart disease, or infection. These acute medical illnesses may precipitate seizures in brains already predisposed to hyperexcitability because of abnormal neuronal development. It is recommended that all Down syndrome children with seizures undergo investigations to determine the etiology of the seizure.