[Neurophysiologic principles and clinical value of post-convulsive serum prolactin determination in epileptic...

Measurement of postictal serum-prolactin concentrations in epileptic seizures in order to distinguish them from psychogenic seizures is at present used only rarely and non-systematically. Studies of 209 Grand mal seizures, 232 complex-partial seizures, 102 simple-partial seizures and 15 generalized seizures published between 1980 and 1987 differ in their standards of seizure classification as well as in their criteria for evaluating increases in postictal serum-prolactin concentrations. A significant rise was seen in 88% of Grand mal seizures, 78% of complex-partial seizures, 22% of simple-partial seizures and 6% of generalized seizures. The discussion of both these general findings and our own investigations is based on the presentation of neuroanatomical and neurophysiological principles of prolactin secretion.