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Journal ArticleDOI

Changes in plasma catecholamines after tonic‐clonic seizures

Roger P. Simon, +2 more
- 01 Feb 1984 - 
- Vol. 34, Iss: 2, pp 255-255
TLDR
Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine rose sharply within 30 minutes of the seizure and then declined rapidly, and was attributed to generalized sympathetic neural activation and was sufficient to exert a direct vasoconstrictor effect.
Abstract
Concentrations of circulating catecholamines increase after induced seizures in animals and electroconvulsive therapy in humans. We measured plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations after a single spontaneous tonic-clonic convulsion in 17 patients to determine whether similar changes occur and to determine their magnitude. Plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine rose sharply within 30 minutes of the seizure and then declined rapidly. The norepinephrine response was attributed to generalized sympathetic neural activation and was sufficient to exert a direct vasoconstrictor effect. The epinephrine response was presumably due to adrenal activation and was large-enough to have cardiovascular or metabolic consequences.

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Citations
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Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

TL;DR: Advice to clinicians on ways to minimise the risk of SUDEP is provided, information to pass on to patients, and medicolegal aspects of these deaths are provided.
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Rapid Seizure-Induced Reduction of Benzodiazepine and Zn2+ Sensitivity of Hippocampal Dentate Granule Cell GABAA Receptors

TL;DR: The development of rapid functional plasticity of GABARs occurring over 45 min of continuous seizures (status epilepticus) in rats is reported and it is concluded that the prolonged seizures of status epileptus rapidly altered the functional properties of hippocampal dentate granule cell GABARS.
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Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy: risk factors and potential pathomechanisms

TL;DR: It is suggested that SUDEP is caused by the fatal coexistence of several predisposing and triggering factors, including seizure-induced hormonal and metabolic changes, Dysregulation in cardiac and respiratory physiology, dysfunction in systemic and cerebral circulation physiology, and seizure- induced hormonal and metabolism changes might all contribute to SUDEP.
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Electrocardiographic Changes at the Onset of Epileptic Seizures

TL;DR: Heart‐rate changes at the transition from the preictal to the ictal state in patients with focal epilepsies are studied to gain some insight into the mechanisms involved in the neuronal regulation of cardiovascular function.
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A prospective study on sudden unexpected death in epilepsy

TL;DR: A year‐long prospective study revealed that victims of this complication of epilepsy are most commonly black males averaging 35 years of age who have infrequent generalized seizures and usually have some structural lesion in the brain responsible for their seizures.
References
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Journal ArticleDOI

Simultaneous single isotope radioenzymatic assay of plasma norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine.

TL;DR: Modification of the original single isotope radioenzymatic assay of Passon and Peuler permits the direct and simultaneous analysis of norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine in plasma samples of 50 μl or less.

Rates and Physiologic Thresholds for Metabolic and Hemodynamic Actions in Man

TL;DR: In this paper, 60-min intravenous epinephrine infusions at nominal rates of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 pg/min were performed in each of six normal human subjects.
Journal ArticleDOI

Norepinephrine: hormone and neurotransmitter in man.

TL;DR: Plasma norepinephrine concentrations do at times exceed 1,800 pg/ml during exercise and during major acute illness, and under conditions of stress, norpinephrine may subserve a hormonal, as well as a neurotransmitter, function.
Journal ArticleDOI

Lumping or splitting? “ophthalmoplegia‐plus” or kearns‐sayre syndrome?

TL;DR: Seven new cases and 30 others from the literature were characterized by the clinical triad of progressive external ophthalmoplegia, atypical pigmentary degeneration of the retina, and heart block, which is sporadic, not hereditary, and begins by the age of 20 years.
Journal ArticleDOI

Physiology of status epilepticus in primates.

TL;DR: In adolescent baboons the intravenous injection of bicuculline induced generalized seizures lasting up to five hours, which sometimes led to brain damage or death, and a behavioral and electroencephalographic recovery could occur within three hours of generalized seizure activity lasting one to two hours.
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