Changes of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels during sleep seizures

Abstract

Objective Measuring the serum concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in epileptic seizures during sleep to investigate their link to the EEG changes. Methods Pre-surgical evaluation was performed by video-EEG monitoring using 24 channel recording. Thirty six epilepsy patients could be attributed to two groups: 28 patients had spontaneous seizures, and the other 8 patients whose seizures were induced by bemegride. Another 11 persons with confirmed psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) served as control group. Blood samples were obtained at five points: wake (08:00 a.m.), sleep (00:00 a.m.), and shortly before, during and after an epileptic seizure. The serum ACTH and cortisol were measured and analyzed by chemiluminescent immunoassay. Results The levels of ACTH and cortisol in serum underwent significant changes: declining below the average sleep-level shortly before seizures, increasing during seizures, and far above the average wake-level after seizures (P < 0.001). Such changes did not occur in the control group (P > 0.05). The ACTH and cortisol levels had no significant difference between spontaneous group and bemegride-induced group (P > 0.05). Conclusion The serum concentrations of ACTH and cortisol during sleep seizures are linked with pre-ictal and ictal EEG changes in epilepsy patients.

Biomarkers in the diagnosis and study of psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: A systematic review

“…Tunca et al reported a rise in cortisol levels during PNES events when compared with basal cortisol levels in HC [54]. Zhang and Liu found a typical pattern of pre-ictal fall and postictal rise of cortisol in ES but no such changes in PNES [55]. Other studies by Bakvis et al have demonstrated PNES patients possess basal hypercortisolism positively correlated with both traumatic histories and threat vigilance [56,57].…”

Zebrafish models in neuropsychopharmacology and CNS drug discovery

“…Epilepsy, which affects approximately 50 million people worldwide (WHO, ), is characterized by recurrent convulsions/seizures, behavioural impairments, pathological neural activity and endocrine dysfunction (Andrea Galimberti et al, ; Zhang and Liu, ; Green et al, ; Engel, ). Epilepsy can be modelled in larval and adult zebrafish (primarily by administration of convulsant drugs and genetic modifications) and evaluated by various behavioural and physiological endpoints (Wong et al, ; Desmond et al, ; Cunliffe, ).…”

Polymorphisms of human glucocorticoid receptor gene in systemic lupus erythematosus: a single-centre result

“…Also, there is a correlation between the elevated cortisol and the changes of the hypocampal structures in patients suffered by psychosis [23,24]. Furthermore, there are coexistence between the concentration of the cortisol and the epileptic seizure onset [25][26][27]. An elevated corticosteroid level has been measured in meningoencephalitis compared to healthy population [28].…”