CORRELATION OF SERUM PROLACTIN AND CORTIS OL WITH PAROXYSMAL DISORDERS, BOTH EPILEPTIC AND NONEPILEPTIC, AND THEIR CLINICAL RATINGS

In 95 patients (44 women and 51 men, aged 14 to 86 yrs., average 44,9 yrs.) the serum levels of prolactin, cortisol and uric acid were inves tigated 30,60 and 120 min after seizure-like events. There were 53 fit s of epileptic aetiology (EE), mainly tonic-clonic, and 42 attacks of non-epileptic aetiology (NEE). The uric acid of the epileptic patients 30 min postictally revealed significantly higher ratings (P < 0,05) c ompared to the control group (n = 36), but not compared to the NEE gro up. Serum cortisol was significantly higher after all investigated dis turbances without differences in the EE and NEE group. After epileptic and non-epileptic attacks prolactin was significantly (p < 0,05) elev ated in comparison to the baseline. The increase of 3 times the amount of the individual baseline and at the same time exceeding the range o f reference were found in 73 % of the epileptic and only in 7 % of the non-epileptic patients. As hypothesis to the postictal prolactin rise we discuss disturbances in the neurotransmitter equilibrium within th e hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis. We regard prolactin as a biochemical marker, which is a valuable aid in the differential diagnosis of epile ptic and non-epileptic fits.