Related Experiment Videos
Vomiting attack with ACTH and ADH discharge improves startle epilepsy
M Hayashi1, A Yasaka, K Maruki
1Department of Pediatrics, Hikari-no-Ie, Saitama Medical School, Japan.
Insights
This case study highlights a 15-year-old boy with intractable startle-induced epileptic seizures. Episodic vomiting transiently suppressed seizures, suggesting a link between hormonal discharge and epilepsy modulation.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pediatric Epilepsy
- Neuroendocrinology
Background:
- Perinatal asphyxia can lead to complex neurological sequelae in children.
- Startle-induced epileptic seizures present a unique challenge due to their intractability to standard treatments.
- The interplay between neurological events and neuroendocrine responses is not fully understood.
Abstract:
A 15-year-old boy with sequelae of perinatal asphyxia experienced intractable startle-induced epileptic seizures, which were transiently suppressed with episodic vomiting. His vomiting was associated with adrenocorticotropin and antidiuretic hormone discharge, and the alteration of urinary catecholamine excretion, which might modulate epileptic seizures. Because startle-induced epileptic seizures are resistant to conventional antiepileptic therapy, this case is informative for the treatment of startle epilepsy.