Related Experiment Videos
Nocturnal prolactin and growth hormone levels in children with complex partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures
J R Valdizán1, J M Vergara, J P Rodriguez
1Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Miguel Servet Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain.
Insights
Nocturnal prolactin levels significantly increase in children with seizures. Growth hormone (GH) secretion remained unchanged in epileptic children compared to those with pseudoseizures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Endocrinology
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Epilepsy in children can affect neuroendocrine function.
- Nocturnal hormone secretion patterns during sleep are crucial for development.
- Distinguishing true seizures from pseudoseizures is clinically important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate nocturnal prolactin and growth hormone (GH) secretion during the delta sleep phase in children with epilepsy.
- To compare hormone levels in children with complex partial or generalized tonic-clonic seizures against a control group with pseudoseizures.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of plasma prolactin and GH levels during the first sleep cycle's delta phase.
- Inclusion of pediatric patients diagnosed with complex partial seizures, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and pseudoseizures.
- Comparative analysis of hormone secretion between epileptic and pseudoseizure groups.
Main Results:
- A moderate and statistically significant elevation in nocturnal prolactin plasma levels was observed in children with both types of infantile seizures.
- No significant differences in nocturnal growth hormone (GH) secretion were detected between the seizure groups and the control group.
Conclusions:
- Nocturnal prolactin secretion is a potential biomarker for distinguishing epileptic seizures from pseudoseizures in children.
- Growth hormone (GH) secretion patterns during sleep do not appear to be significantly altered in children with these seizure types.
Abstract:
This study measures whether there is a rise in the secretion of nocturnal prolactin and growth hormone (GH), during the delta phase of the first sleep cycle in children who are suffering from either complex partial or generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The findings are compared with those obtained in the control group of patients which is made up who suffer from pseudoseizures. There is a moderate but significant rise in the nocturnal prolactin plasma level in both types of infantile seizures. No significant difference was found in the GH.