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Volume 73, Issue 5, Pages 703-705 (November 2009)


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Is the role of estrogens and estrogen receptors in epilepsy still underestimated?

Aleksandra FucicaCorresponding Author Informationemail address, Snjezana Miškovb, Davor Želježića, Nenad Bogdanovicc, Jelena Katića, Romana Gjergjab, Ello Karelsond, Marija Gamuline

Received 4 March 2009; accepted 8 March 2009. published online 03 June 2009.

Summary 

The etiology of epilepsy still represents an open subject of discussions and research. Contrary to the majority of diseases for which drugs are developed following the origin of disease, epilepsy is treated symptomatically because it is perceived to have diverse causes. Recent results of oncological, neurological, developmental and biochemical studies suggest that the reproductive dysfunction in men and women, as a side effect related with antiepileptic therapy, points to the single origin of this disease. It seems that contrary to the present definition of estrogen as a compound affecting seizure susceptibility, based on causal chains: of increased estrogen levels (alcohol intake) and seizure, fact that all antiepileptic drugs are aromatase inhibitors or have estrogen binding properties, described cases of seizures in epileptic patients taking quinine as preventive therapy against malaria, impact of photic activation and sleep on estrogen level, it can be assumed that estrogen plays the leading role in the mutual origin of different types of epilepsy.

a Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska c 2, Zagreb, Croatia

b University Hospital “Sisters of Mercy”, Zagreb, Croatia

c Karolinska Institute, NVS, Geriatric Department, Stockholm, Sweden

d Tartu University, Department of Biochemistry, Tartu, Estonia

e University Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +385 14673188; fax: +385 14673303.

PII: S0306-9877(09)00321-1

doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2009.03.051


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