SERUM PROLACTIN RESPONSE TO REPETITIVE EPILEPTIC SEIZURES

We measured postictal prolactin (PRL) levels during repetitive seizure s in 14 patients (10 men and 4 women) suffering from epilepsy with foc al and/or secondarily generalized seizures. Between two and six seizur es occurred per patient (mean 2.7). The interveral between seizures wa s 15 min and 8 h 40 min (mean 3 h 32 min). Five of the 14 patients sho wed a marked postictal PRL rise after each seizure (i.e. concentration s above 700 mu U/ml for women, 500 mu U/ml for men). In the remaining 9 patients there was no detectable rise in PRL. A decrease in PRL did not occur in any of the 14 patients. In those patients who had shown a marked PRL increase after the first seizure, the PRL continued to ris e in subsequent seizures. Unlike previous investigations, these result s show that repetitive epileptic seizures are not necessarily followed by a decrease in postical PRL levels. A decrease in PRL response is k nown to occur if there is progression to status epilepticus.